RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – A Richmond hospital is adapting after receiving significantly fewer doses of the infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine than they were anticipating.
The Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CHoR) at Virginia Commonwealth University was hoping to receive about 3,000 doses of Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip) after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for the prevention of RSV in July 2023, but has only recieved around 400 since November.
Mark Astoria, a Neonatologist at CHoR, said that RSV is one of the most common viral illnesses that affects children and that Beyfortus can protect infants up to 24 months old against the virus.
“Our peak rate was about 15% positive tests, were down to about six and a half percent currently,” said Astoria. “And our current admission rate is three patients who are admitted with RSV specifically.”
Astoria said that, since the hospital has only been able to get around 400 doses so far, it has had to ration it for the patients who are at the highest risk.
“I think it has impacted families, because there are a lot a lot of families that would have gotten this or had this therapy for their babies before they left the hospital or shortly after leaving the hospital,” said Astoria. “Unfortunately, they have not been able to receive it.”
Chesterfield resident Katya Whitakers is the mother of a toddler who had RSV in December. She said it was frightening to hear about the shortage of vaccines.
“I know how bad she was when [she had it] and how she was at her worst point,” Whitaker said. “That definitely is scary to think that there may not be a lot of vaccines.”
Astoria said the CDC has recently advised hospitals that there will be increased production of Beyfortus from pharmaceutical companies in January.
For additional protection, he recommends pregnant mothers get a single dose of Pfizer’s bivalent RSVpreF vaccine (Abrysvo) during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy. He said it can provide protection for a newborn baby in its first few months of life.
