GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The potentially deadly virus called RSV poses serious risks for people over 60 and children less than a year old.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first ever RSV vaccine to protect older adults from some of the most severe symptoms of the virus.
Now, it's backing that shot for pregnant woman before they even give birth.
Members of the FDA advisory panel are backing its first-of-its-kind RSV vaccine for pregnant people.
If approved, the new shot from Pfizer would be given to women between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
While most people who get the virus suffer cold-like symptoms, it can pose severe health risks for infants less than a year old.
It's even worse for those born prematurely and babies with underlying heart and lung problems. In some cases, it can lead to hospitalization and death.
During a study with Pfizer's shot, researchers say it was 82% effective in preventing severe infections in babies during their first three months of life.
The effectiveness dropped to nearly 70% at six months for preventing critical illness.
"RSV typically hits in the late fall and peaks in the winter time, we saw record number of RSV infections in children's hospitals last year, especially in the early fall," said James Wood with Indiana University.
The FDA will now review the advisory panel's backing of the shot's effectiveness as it decides whether to approve the injection in the future.
