How to protect you and your family from RSV this winter

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It’s a lung disease that’s especially prominent during the winter seasons. RSV is mostly seen in children and older adults.

“Honestly, it’s very similar to flu or COVID. It can be very confusing, especially this season… like the same symptoms as flu. So it starts with fever, cold, chills, myalgia and breathing problems,” Dr. Suman Shekar with Med Center Health says.

In the state of Kentucky, there’s an increase of cases that are affecting these groups.

“RSV tends to go up in the winter season because it’s spread like most cold and flu viruses this year. To some extent last year we saw more of a normal RSV pattern where we see the peaks start to go up in the early fall/winter and kind of extend into early spring,” Dr. Nicholas Van Sickels with UK HealthCare says.

RSV can not only be transmitted from one person to another.

“One thing about RSV which I find fascinating about the virus is it is transmitted from one person to another and it can live on non-living objects for ten days… on doorknobs, on table countertops… it can be alive for ten days,” Dr. Shekar says.

If you happen to catch this virus, Dr. Van Sickels says there’s no need to worry.

“In general, most people do well with it. It can make you cough for a long time and kind of make you miserable. Just because you’re over 60 doesn’t mean you’re going to have a bad outcome. What we want to do is really protect those who are most vulnerable. If you get it, I would watch for signs that it is getting worse. I would recommend watching for signs of any infection,” he says.