New RSV infant vaccine in short supply as upper respiratory illness season picks up

Denver (KDVR) — Doctors at Partners in Pediatrics in Denver are starting to see an uptick in cases as upper respiratory illness season begins. 

“We’re seeing a lot of viral illnesses,” said Dr. Nancy Lataitis. 

That includes RSV.

Lataitis would like to be able to offer her newborn patients the newly approved RSV vaccine, but her office still doesn’t have any yet.

“The supply of the RSV vaccine has been a challenge. Apparently, the demand has way outstripped what was predicted by the manufacturers,” she said.

The new monoclonal antibody injection was recently approved for infants younger than 8 months and for children up to 24 months who are at high risk.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert about the lack of supply of certain doses and offered options for providers, such as prioritizing those at high risk. Lataitis is telling parents of newborns to call around.

“If they are in the high-risk group, for example, less than six months of age, calling around to see if they can locate it might be a great idea right now because we are beginning to see RSV,” she said.

Lataitis hopes to get a shipment of the vaccine in the next few weeks. In the meantime, she is telling parents of newborns to be good with handwashing and to make sure all people in their circle are up to date on other vaccines.

 There is also a new RSV vaccine available for pregnant women and people over the age of 65. The shortage does not affect the adult supply.