An NHS medic has issued a stark warning about an unknown virus which may leave folks panting for air. Dr Mark Porter, famous for his stints on BBC Breakfast and This Morning, wrote in The Times that everyone above the age of 75, along with pregnant individuals, will receive a new vaccine within just two months.
The doc revealed that the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is worrisome for those at either end of the age scale, people with cardiac or pulmonary conditions, or faint immunity levels. Starting from September, there's an offer for over-75s and expectant women to take a one-shot vaccine, he added.
Notably, RSV is part of the same viral family as mumps and measles and is notoriously contagious. Stats from the NHS unveil that it affects nearly every tot - 90% in fact - once at least during their initial two years and it's common to face reinfections throughout life.
Dr Porter flagged up to BBC viewers: "In most cases RSV causes little more than a mild cough or cold, but for some - adults and children - it can be life-threatening. More than 30,000 babies in the UK are hospitalised with it every year, 20-30 of whom die. The impact in older people isn't so well documented but it is a common cause of pneumonia in adults with some estimates suggesting that it contributes to the deaths of at least 5,000 adults over 45 in a typical year, most of whom are over 75."
"RSV is spread through infected droplets produced by coughing, sneezing and breathing, and it can survive on surfaces for at least four hours. Once you have been infected it takes three to five days for symptoms, like a runny nose, cough and sometimes a fever, to develop fully, with recovery taking up to two weeks or more.", reports Birmingham Live.
In babies it often leads to inflammation of the lungs, causing severe cough, wheezing and shortness of breath (bronchiolitis) and, Dr Porter said that during the peak winter months, paediatric units across the country are full of cases. Parents and the NHS had something of a respite during the first part of the pandemic because social distancing measures dramatically reduced spread.
He added: "Sadly, the virus has bounced back with a vengeance. In older people RSV has a similar impact to Covid and flu. American research suggests that 5-10 per cent of residents in nursing homes will catch it each year - typically during the peak season from October to March - as many as 20 per cent of whom will go on to develop pneumonia."
There's no specific treatment, he said, but antivirals can potentially be used in serious cases, with oxygen normally given until natural recovery. However, he added the vaccine offers 80 per cent protection in the first two years, adding: "No matter how many cases you see, it's always distressing to see a baby or toddler struggling for breath."
He continued to say that giving it to pregnant women will immunise the baby so it is born with protection - halving the chance of being hospitalised with a chest infection during the first six months of life.