Costa Rica Bolsters โRSV Defense with Vaccination adn โคNew โAntibody Treatment
San Josรฉ, Costa Rica โ- Health officials โคin Costa Rica areโ intensifying efforts to combat Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV), which hasโฃ become the second most circulating respiratory virus in the country. A new vaccination program โfor pregnant women,launched in lateโค May,aims to โฃprotectโ infants by transferring antibodies acrossโ the placenta and โขthrough breastโ milk.
RSV posesโ a significant threat to young children,often leading โขto bronchiolitis and pneumonia. While the impact of the vaccination program on hospitalization rates isn’t โฃyet measurable-as it began only fourโ months ago-authorities are proactively implementing โคadditional measures to curb โขthe virus’s spread. In just two and a โขhalf months,the vaccine reached 6,000 pregnantโ women.
Toโค further safeguard newborns, the National Vaccination โand Epidemiology Commission has approved Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment. This will be administered at birth to infants whoseโ mothers were unable โto receive the RSV vaccine.
Health specialists recommend a range of preventative steps,โ including complete family vaccinations, โขfrequentโ handwashing, proper respiratory etiquette (using tissues or forearms when coughing or โคsneezing), โmask-wearing when symptomatic, avoiding crowds, distancing children from sick individuals, and seeking medical consultation before โฃmedicating minors. Other โrecommendations include prioritizing outdoorโ or well-ventilated spaces, keeping symptomatic children home from school, exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months, and promptly seeking medical care โคwhen needed.