About RSV

RSV is a common infection that affects the airways and lungs. It is a type of respiratory illness. It is usually mild, but it can be more serious in babies, young children, older adults, and people with certain health problems. You can get it more than once in your life.

RSV season tends to start in late fall and last until spring.

Who is most at risk?

RSV mostly affects babies, young children, and older adults. The most serious RSV infections usually happen during a baby's first year of life. But you can get RSV at any age.

As you get older, you have a higher risk of getting very sick or needing care in the hospital because of RSV. You are at higher risk if you haven't had a dose of RSV vaccine in the past and:

• You are age 70 years or older.
• You are age 60 years or older, and you live in a continuing care or a supportive living facility.
• You are age 60 years or older and you are an Indigenous person.
• You are age 18 to 69 years and you have certain health conditions.

Babies who are born too soon or have certain health conditions, such as lung problems or a weakened immune system, are also at high risk of getting very sick or needing care in the hospital because of RSV. Healthy babies may also need care in the hospital if they get an RSV infection.

How it spreads

RSV can spread in the following ways:

• An infected person sneezes, coughs, talks, or even breathes.
• You breathe in the virus.
• You touch something that has the virus on it (such as hands or a doorknob), then touch your eyes, mouth, or nose.

RSV can live on surfaces for several hours. It can live on unclean hands for 30 minutes or more. You can spread RSV before symptoms start.

Symptoms

RSV symptoms are usually mild cold-like symptoms that get better in 1 to 2 weeks. They include:

• runny nose
• coughing
• sneezing
• headache
• feeling tired
• not feeling hungry or not wanting to eat (poor appetite)
• sore throat

If RSV gets worse, symptoms may include:

• wheezing
• fever

In some cases, RSV can lead to a lung infection (pneumonia) or make other health problems worse.

Learn what to do and how to care for yourself if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness.

Treatment

Most people can treat RSV at home. Home treatments include resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking medicine to lower your fever. Learn more about how to care for yourself at home.

Some people with RSV, especially older adults and babies, may need care in the hospital if they are having trouble breathing or are dehydrated.

Vaccine

There is a vaccine to protect against RSV for people age 18 years and older. You can get the RSV vaccine free of charge if you haven’t had a dose of RSV vaccine in the past and:

• You are age 70 years or older.
• You are age 60 years or older, and you live in a continuing care or supportive living facility.
• You are age 60 years or older and you are an Indigenous person.
• You are age 18 to 69 years and you have had or will have a lung transplant, have had a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, have had CAR T-cell therapy (a type of cancer treatment), are on home oxygen, need chronic oxygen therapy, or are receiving dialysis.

You need 1 dose of RSV vaccine. At this time, more than 1 dose is not recommended.

If you are pregnant, ask your healthcare provider if the RSV vaccine is recommended for you. In this case, the vaccine is not free of charge. You can check if your health insurance plan will cover the cost.

Learn more about the RSV vaccine.

Babies and RSV

Currently, there is no RSV vaccine available for babies, but there is a medicine to help protect babies from RSV infection. RSV monoclonal antibodies provide immediate, short-term protection against RSV and help reduce a baby's risk of getting very sick and needing care in the hospital.

Babies who are at high risk of getting very sick from RSV can get a monoclonal antibody through the high-risk RSV program. Talk to your doctor to learn more.

Starting November 1, 2026, all babies born in hospital between November and the end of March 2027 will be offered an RSV monoclonal antibody before they go home.