Unichem Pharmacy Browns Bay
Unichem Browns Bay Pharmacy is based in the heart of the Browns Bay & Torbay community, serving the needs of our valued customers for more than 25 years.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious and common virus that can cause respiratory tract infections, particularly in the autumn and winter months. Most children will have been exposed to RSV by the age of 2 years, but reinfection is common.
RSV is a major cause of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in adults. By adulthood, individuals are unlikely to be immunologically naïve to RSV, with repeat exposures occurring throughout our lifetimes. Most infected adults experience mild to moderate clinical disease. RSV-associated hospitalisation rates increase exponentially from the age of 60 years. For those with immunocompromise and older age, RSV infection can result in hospitalisation for severe respiratory tract infections, viral pneumonia and exacerbation of underlying comorbidities.
People infected with RSV usually show symptoms within 4 to 6 days after being infected. Symptoms of RSV infection usually include:
These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once. In very young infants with RSV, the only symptoms may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.
A single dose of an RSV vaccine can help protect adults aged 60 years and older from getting very sick from RSV. Click here to learn about Arexvy, the available RSV vaccine in New Zealand for older adults.
Although Arexvy is targeted at those aged 60 years and over, infants are at the greatest risk of RSV.
At highest risk in the under 2s are those born prematurely, with underlying respiratory, heart and neurological conditions. Infants aged under 6 months are at highest risk, particularly those born in areas of high deprivation and those of Māori and Pacific ethnicity. A preventative RSV antibody, palivizumab (Synagis) is available for high-risk infants and some young tamariki.
Unichem Browns Bay Pharmacy is based in the heart of the Browns Bay & Torbay community, serving the needs of our valued customers for more than 25 years.
