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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Not Just a Little Kids’ Virus, Explained in 60 Seconds

Published October 14, 2022

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is a respiratory virus that causes infection in the lungs and respiratory tract. Symptoms are usually mild and cold-like, but they can become severe and lead to complications like difficulty breathing, hospitalization, and death. RSV is common in kids under the age of two, which has led to a misconceived notion that it’s just a “little kids’ virus,” even though it’s quite common in older adults over the age of 65 and every year over 17,000 older Americans die from RSV.

This 60 second film gives a quick look at risk factors, symptoms, and how to get tested for RSV. While there is no RSV vaccine available at the moment, several are in development and expected to be available soon. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk factors for RSV and how you can protect yourself and your loved ones and go to agingresearch.org/OurBestShot to learn more. Watch the full video https://youtu.be/eXLvkQy5JQc and the 30 second PSA https://youtu.be/9ru17UeIvP4.