The agency now suggests that all adults 75 and older get the vaccine.
This includes people who have chronic conditions like lung or heart disease and those living in nursing homes.
However, that guidance confused patients and complicated the administration of the vaccine.
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The CDC updated the recommendation to simplify the decision-making process for clinicians and the public.
For most people, an RSV infection feels like a bad cold.
However, older adults and infants are more likely to develop pneumonia and respiratory failure.
About a quarter of older Americans have had a dose of the RSV vaccine.
What to Know About the RSV Vaccines
The RSV vaccines have only been available for a year.
There are three vaccines approved to prevent RSV in older adults.
The CDC also highlighted disparities in the demographics of older adults who have been vaccinated so far.
This is not an insignificant virus.
Its a virus that causes significant disease, Hopkins said.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC updates RSV vaccination recommendation for adults.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.CDC recommends RSV vaccine for older adults.
2021;36(8):2283-2291. doi:10.1007/s11606-020-06456-z
