💉👵”Grandma, Get Your Vaccines!” – New RSV Shots Given Green Light for 65 and Up!👴💉
TL;DR;
Get ready to roll up those sleeves, elders! The CDC has just nodded yes to new RSV vaccines specifically for adults 65 and up, manufactured by pharmaceutical titans, Pfizer and GSK. 💊🧬 Lower respiratory illnesses caused by RSV might be mild for most adults, but they can become serious nightmares for seniors, leading to pneumonia or bronchiolitis, and claiming up to 10,000 lives of those aged 65 or older every year in the U.S. 🏥💔 Sounds intense, right? So, let’s dive into the facts of this scientific breakthrough!
Chin up, silver-haired buddies! Your ticket to a pneumonia-free winter might be just a needle prick away! An advisory committee from the CDC recently voted in favor of recommending two different RSV vaccines for adults aged 65 and up. These vaccines were brought to us by the lab-coat-wearing geniuses at Pfizer and GSK. 🥼🔬 But wait! There’s more! For adults in the 60 to 64 range, they could also benefit from these shots, but only if their individual risk levels and doctor’s advice say ‘go.’👨⚕️👍
Now, you might be thinking, what’s this RSV deal anyway? Well, let me tell you! RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, usually leads to a mild lower respiratory illness for most healthy adults. But in severe cases, it can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis, leading to inflamed airways that get filled with mucus. 🦠😷 Yuck, right?
Now hold your horses! Don’t start queuing up at your local pharmacy just yet. These vaccines still need the final thumbs-up from CDC’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky. Once she gives her formal endorsement, these vaccines can be distributed and administered. But then, there’s the “when will it be available” question? 🗓️💉
According to Dr. Phil Dormitzer, GSK’s senior vice president and global head of vaccines research and development, the company aims to make its RSV vaccine available in the fall, right on time for the next RSV season, which peaks in winter. ❄️📉 Meanwhile, Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy are gearing up to offer these vaccines at their locations nationwide. But, these shots aren’t magic potions! They’re backed by robust clinical trials and scientific data. 🔍📚
One question that arises here: Are these vaccines perfect? Not quite. Like all medicines, these vaccines have side effects like pain at the injection site, fatigue, and muscle pain. Plus, some serious, albeit rare, conditions have been observed, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm. But don’t forget, these are rare occurrences and the overall risk is low. 👩⚕️⚖️
Finally, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: cost. GSK and Pfizer have stated their vaccines will cost between $180 to $295 per dose. Now, that’s a hefty sum, but remember, it doesn’t necessarily reflect what insured patients would pay. 💰💳
To wrap this up, isn’t it fascinating how medical science keeps pushing the boundaries to protect us from diseases like RSV? Now, let’s wait and see how effective these vaccines prove to be in the upcoming RSV season.
