The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is pleased to announce that a new preventive treatment that protects against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is now available for newborns and eligible infants up to 24 months of age.
The new treatment, known as nirsevimab or Beyfortus, is a one-dose injection of protective antibodies for infants, who are most vulnerable to the severe effects of RSV. RSV is a highly contagious respiratory virus that circulates every year between fall and spring. Most people that get RSV will only have mild, cold-like symptoms. However, in infants and older adults, RSV can cause severe respiratory illness and can lead to complications such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. It is a leading cause of hospitalization in infants, and in rare cases, can be life-threatening.
“As a pediatrician and Medical Officer of Health, I’m very excited about this new preventive treatment and I highly recommend it for infants,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis. “Evidence has shown that it’s both very safe and highly effective. A single dose can prevent RSV infection during an infant’s first RSV season, when they’re most vulnerable to the virus. It will also prevent the tremendous stress that severe RSV illness and hospitalization puts on families.”
Starting this month, the preventive antibody treatment will be offered to newborns at the hospital following birth. For infants born outside of a hospital setting, or who were born earlier in 2024, or for infants up to 24 months of age who have certain medical conditions, the treatment will be available through primary healthcare providers. Talk to your healthcare provider for more details.
Parents and caregivers of eligible infants who do not have a healthcare provider, or who cannot access the treatment for other reasons, can contact the EOHU at 1-800-267-7120 to arrange an appointment for their child to receive the treatment.
For more information about RSV and preventive treatment options, visit EOHU.ca/RSV or call the EOHU at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
