RSV vaccine now available for Ottawa infants

For the first time, protective measures are being expanded to infants to ward off RSV this fall and winter.

"This is a real game changer because looking at other countries that have put it in as a publicly funded program, we are seeing an 80 to 85 per cent reductions in hospitalizations," said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.

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RSV or respiratory syncytial virus is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can have severe symptoms in babies and seniors.

Canada is now among the countries offering a wider range of protective products to fight off RSV, helping ease a health-care system often overwhelmed by it.

"Every year we see a surge in hospitalizations, particularly between November and I would say December or January," Roumeliotis said.

It's a sigh of relief for parents like Jessica Cohn, whose son Eitan spent two weeks in intensive care when he was just a month old.

"It was just uncomfortable, you know? A baby that small struggling to breathe, and that's the scary thing about RSV is that it can affect any baby," said Cohn.

"I remember calling my husband, he was home with our two-year-old, and I'm like, 'you have to get down here. I don't know what's happening, but something really bad is about to happen.' Through some miracle that night, he turned a corner."

According to Ontario's Ministry of Health, the infant RSV vaccine is now available at some locations across the province, including hospitals, with more shipments expected by the end of the month.

"It is really an injection of what we call protective antibodies that protect the baby for a good period of time, particularly during the season," Roumeliotis said.

Officials say the vaccine will be available for free for all infants after birth and high-risk children up to 24 months. It's also covered for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks.

"The bottom line is people should speak to their health care provider or their local public health unit to learn about what their options are this year for this upcoming RSV season," said Dr. Tali Bogler, Chair of Family Medicine Obstetrics at St. Michael's Hospital.

While it's too late for parents like Cohn, she's hoping her story helps raise awareness.

"You don't want to see your baby at a month old or younger have to be in the ICU hooked up to tubes. Luckily for us, things turned out ok, but it could have gone very differently."