St. Louis doctors note uptick in respiratory viruses

by | Dec 21, 2023 | Uncategorized

ST. LOUIS – Medical officials in St. Louis are seeing a rise in seasonal respiratory viruses like the flu, RSV, and COVID-19.

“Watching the respiratory virus season unfold, we are seeing more cases of RSV, which is the respiratory syncytial virus,” Melissa Tepe, vice president and chief medical officer for Affinia Healthcare, said. “This is including more hospitalizations now, and also flu and COVID. So, really bringing the St. Louis Pandemic Task Force back to the table to review those numbers.”

The St. Louis Pandemic Task Force has had a meeting to review data and get messaging out.

The White House recognizes that seasonal RSV is on the rise nationwide. On Tuesday, senior administration officials met with the CEOs of the companies that make the RSV vaccine and requested that more vaccines be made available.

“We think that families should have access to the RSV vaccine,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “It is important for families to have access to that. We’re going to do everything we can. We’re going to urge manufacturers to produce enough RSV vaccines to meet the demand that we’re seeing. We’re going to have those conversations. We’re glad to see the manufacturers now putting an additional 230,000 vaccines that families need.”

Locally, doctors have a message for everyone set to celebrate over the holidays.

“Hand hygiene and distancing and masking,” Tepe said. “If you’re someone at risk for these viruses, the flu vaccine and COVID vaccine are very important preventative methods.”

Tepe said adults 60 and older are eligible for the RSV vaccine. The antibody injection available for newborns is in short supply. But doctors hope to have more of that in January.

The RSV vaccine is available for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of their pregnancy.

“Medicaid has been reimbursing, and most insurance companies have been reimbursing us,” Tepe said. “If you get the vaccine, then you’re passing the antibodies over to the baby, and then once they’re born, generally speaking, most newborns do not need the injection.”