- If your child develops a fever, cough, or congestion, consider getting your child tested not only for COVID-19 but for RSV infection as well.
- Younger toddlers and babies have a higher risk of experiencing respiratory distress from RSV.
- A dual infection with SARS-CoV-2 could potentially worsen the course of their illness.
There’ve been increasing reports of kids simultaneously developing respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and COVID-19.
It’s not uncommon for kids to contract two respiratory viruses at once.
While most school-aged children will have no symptoms or mild cold-like symptoms, younger toddlers and babies have a higher risk of experiencing respiratory distress if they contract RSV.
A SARS-CoV-2 co-infection could potentially worsen the course of their illness.
Pediatricians recommend getting your child tested for both RSV and SARS-CoV-2 infections if they develop symptoms such as a fever, cough, or congestion.
The best way to protect kids from the co-infection is for adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Doing so reduces the number of opportunities the coronavirus has to transmit to new people and reach children who are not yet eligible for the vaccines.
Source: healthline