With more people talking about the risks of RSV, adults 60 and older are now learning that RSV may affect them, too. In fact, in some older adults, RSV can be very serious; in some cases, it can lead to hospitalization or death.
Don't let RSV catch you off guard—If you’re over the age of 60, including those with underlying medical conditions, you could be at risk for severe RSV.
RSV is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can make you sick and possibly send you to the hospital, especially if you are 60 years and older. RSV can be spread by touching an infected surface or if an infected person coughs or sneezes and their droplets contact another person's eyes, nose, or mouth.
As you age, you are at greater risk of experiencing more severe RSV because your body has a harder time fighting the infection. It’s important to help protect yourself against potentially serious respiratory diseases like RSV.
If you are over 60 and living with certain conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, you could be at an increased risk of severe RSV.
RSV can also cause severe disease in people in long-term care facilities as well as those with a weakened immune system.
RSV can be a dangerous virus. Older adults may experience severe RSV-related complications such as difficulty breathing or hospitalization. In more serious cases, RSV may lead to death.
Like the flu, RSV can lead to serious consequences in older adults, including hospitalization and death.
In 1 study of adults 60 years and older in the United States who were hospitalized with either RSV (645 people) or flu (1,878 people) from 2011 to 2015, RSV caused:
RSV can cause respiratory disease that may make it difficult to breathe or possibly require hospitalization.
A study of adults 60 years and older who were hospitalized from RSV showed that RSV affected their ability to independently complete daily tasks.*
*This study took place in New York State between 2017 and 2020 and looked at adults aged 60 years and older who were hospitalized due to RSV. Six months after being discharged from the hospital, 32% of older adults scored worse on activities of daily living assessments.
RSV can start with mild symptoms that appear to be an ordinary cold, like congestion, runny nose, sore throat, or fever. But RSV may escalate to more severe symptoms.
Talk to your doctor to learn more about RSV. You can download a useful conversation starter here.
If you get sick with RSV, your doctor may first tell you to:
Washing your hands, avoiding close contact with sick people, and cleaning surfaces can help stop the spread of RSV, but there is more you can do.
Talk to your doctor about an RSV vaccine.
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Find out how to help protect them.
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