RSV driving IWK hospitalizations for younger kids, doctor says

The IWK Health Centre's chief of pediatrics is sharing tips to prevent the spread of RSV as high cases are currently driving hospitalizations among younger children.

"This year it's mostly RSV with a little bit of flu starting now. COVID continues at a low baseline, but not affecting children as much in terms of hospitalizations. It's RSV that's causing the hospitalizations," Dr. Andrew Lynk said.

RSV — respiratory syncytial virus — is a common respiratory illness that usually causes mild illness and cold-like symptoms, but that it can be more severe for infants and older adults.

Nova Scotia's latest Respiratory Watch report listed 90 lab-confirmed new cases of RSV for week 49 (Dec. 3-9), with 54 being in children four and under.

With the holidays fast approaching, Lynk said it's important to stay home if sick — especially if there were plans to visit people who are vulnerable (seniors, those with chronic health conditions and babies). He said it's also important to keep babies six months and under "away from the snotty-nosed cousins."

Lynk also recommends people get the flu shot "if you have someone vulnerable in your family, a child under one or an older adult who has health problems ... flu is just starting now, so there's lots of time to get ready."

When to consider going to emergency department

RSV can present like a bad head or chest cold, he said.

"If you're seeing [RSV] for the first time, especially as an infant or if you're elderly with some health-care issues, it can definitely be quite serious and you can end up in hospital or quite ill," Lynk said.

He said families should consider bringing their child to the emergency room if they're not feeling well, if they're fussy, if they're fast breathing, if their fever is prolonged or if the family is concerned. 

"But if they're feeding OK, drinking OK, and Tylenol is working and they're not breathing hard or fast and they're doing OK otherwise, I would probably keep them out of the emergency departments if you can because you're going to have a long wait unless they're sick," he said.

A vaccine is available for RSV but it costs around $300 and isn't covered by the province.

Lynk said RSV cases used to come after Christmas prior to COVID-19.

"Then COVID came around and we were masking and isolating and that threw things off," he said. "So it's here earlier."

Lynk said while emergency departments are busy with RSV cases, it's nowhere near as bad as it was a year ago when hospitals were seeing influenza, COVID-19 and RSV together at the same time.