U.S. increased RSV infections failure to protect public health: report

A child looks at a float during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, the United States, Nov. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

RSV infections only provide partial immunity, and individuals remain susceptible to repeat infections throughout their lives.

NEW YORK, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- The increases in pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections and related hospitalizations are not due to an "immunity debt" created by masking and stay-at-home orders issued during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a public health failure for the United States, the National Nurses United (NNU) reported on Monday.

"RSV and other respiratory viruses are significantly more severe this year due to a complete abandonment of public health measures that have helped protect the public from COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses," said Deborah Burger, a NNU president.

"The lack of public health protections and the impact of COVID infections, reinfections, and long COVID are likely contributing to the significant impact of RSV on young children and infants. Promoting the idea of 'immunity debt' is not only unscientific, it is harmful to the public's health," added Burger.

Many children were already exposed to and infected with RSV in 2021. "In fact, the positivity rates for RSV were higher in 2021 than they are now in the United States," said the report titled "Increased RSV infections are not due to 'immunity debt,' but failure to protect public health."

Additionally, RSV infections only provide partial immunity, and individuals remain susceptible to repeat infections throughout their lives, it noted.