RSV vaccines for both pregnant people and babies: Which should you get and when?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a vaccine for people in late pregnancy that will protect their babies from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, after birth.

Last week’s guidance comes shortly after another RSV shot was approved and recommended by government agencies that protects infants and high-risk toddlers heading into their first or second RSV season.

“This is another tool we can use this fall and winter to help protect lives,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the CDC. “I encourage parents to talk to their doctors about how to protect their little ones against serious RSV illness, using either a vaccine given during pregnancy, or an RSV immunization given to your baby after birth.”

Whether you have a little one at home or are expecting one soon, here’s how to navigate options this RSV season.

Who can get the RSV vaccine for pregnant people?

The CDC panel voted to recommend the new maternal vaccine for people who are 32 to 36 weeks pregnant during the RSV season to prevent lower respiratory infection in infants.

“That gives them enough time to build antibody responses through the vaccine and cross through the placenta to give the infant protection when they’re born,” said Dr. Sterling Ransone, board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The new vaccine, called Abrysvo and created by Pfizer, has been shown to reduce the risk of RSV hospitalization for babies by 57% in the first six months after birth.

Who can get the RSV shot for infants?

In early August, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend a new drug to protect infants from the worst consequences of RSV.

The monoclonal antibody from Sanofi and AstraZeneca, called Beyfortus, can be given to babies under 8 months old who are entering their first RSV season. Children 8 to 19 months old who are at increased risk of severe disease can also get the shot if they’re entering their second season.

Panel members said babies can get a shot of the new drug like a vaccine before the RSV season, which typically runs from fall into winter.

The shot has been shown to reduce the risk of RSV hospitalizations and health care visits in infants by about 80%, the CDC said.

Can I get the maternal vaccine outside the RSV season?

For most of the U.S., the RSV season typically starts in September and runs through January.

The CDC says giving a vaccine to pregnant people outside of these months is less effective in protecting babies from RSV because their immunity will wane by the time the cases ramp up.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted some seasonal respiratory illnesses, including RSV and influenza. An increase in travel has also led to sporadic outbreaks outside of the traditional season, Ransone said.

“Now that we’re coming out of the pandemic, it’d be interesting to see if they maintain the seasonality like they always have,” he said. They probably will remain seasonal, he added, but it’s important to monitor RSV cases this season to help inform strategies for the next.

RSV seasons can vary in timing in different parts of the U.S., the CDC says, so it’s ultimately up to local, state and territorial health departments to determine the best time to start and stop administering RSV vaccines in their jurisdictions.

I'm vaccinated. Can my baby get a shot, too?

The CDC says most infants will only need protection from either the maternal RSV vaccine or the infant shot after birth – they don't need both.

But experts say there may be a few exceptions.

If a baby is born less than two weeks after a maternal vaccination, there likely hasn't been enough time for the pregnant person to develop sufficient antibodies to pass through the placenta before birth. In that case, doctors may recommend the monoclonal antibody shot for the baby.

Beyfortus is also recommended for children 8 to 19 months old in their second RSV season if they’re at increased risk for severe disease, Ransone said. So, it’s possible that a pregnant person would get the maternal vaccine during the first RSV season and their child would receive the infant shot during their second season if recommended by their doctor.

Which RSV shot should you choose?

There’s no data comparing the two different shots, Ransone said. Experts can’t say which is the better method of protection against RSV.

“I’m sure within a few RSV seasons we will have an answer for that question,” he said.

For now, patients can make an informed decision based on their eligibility, preference and doctor's advice.

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on X, formerly Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RSV vaccines for baby, pregnancy: What to get this season and when