Older Americans can get RSV vaccine this fall after consulting their doctor, CDC says

Americans 60 and older can get a new RSV vaccine but should discuss it with their doctor first, U.S. health officials recommended Thursday.

The newly approved vaccines should be ready in the fall, a time when flu shots and updated COVID-19 vaccines will also be available. People eligible for the RSV vaccine should speak with their doctor to see if it’s right for them, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

The CDC said adults with chronic heart or lung conditions, weakened immune systems and those living in long-term care facilities are at higher risk of respiratory infection.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common cause of cold-like symptoms, but it can be dangerous for infants and the elderly. Last year, a surge filled hospitals with children suffering from wheezing. There is no vaccine for children yet, but a vaccine for pregnant women to prevent disease in infants may also be coming, pending Food and Drug Administration approval.

On Thursday, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the outgoing CDC director, endorsed a recommendation made last week by an outside expert advisory panel for a single dose of vaccines made by Pfizer and GSK. The FDA approved the injections last month for adults 60 and older.

The CDC panel initially considered a stronger recommendation that all people 65 and older get vaccinated. But they weakened their endorsement after several members questioned its effectiveness in weaker patients, the need for and effectiveness of boosters, and the cost.

Drugmaker GSK told the panel that its RSV vaccine would cost between $200 and $295. Pfizer did not release pricing. Vaccines can last for several seasons and it is not yet clear if booster shots will be recommended.

Others wanted stronger endorsement for those 65 and older. Asking people to see their doctor ‘is an absolute barrier’ to vaccinating more people and an additional burden for health care providers, Robert Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Service Programs, said Thursday.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science and Education Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.