The Claim:
A cardiologist-turned-wellness influencer claims that the RSV vaccine’s risks outweigh the benefits in adults.
The Facts:
The CDC estimates that between 60,000-160,000 older adults in the United States are hospitalized every year due to RSV infection, and 6,000-10,000 of them die. Additionally, these adults can act as vectors spreading RSV to others, including to infants, for whom RSV can be deadly.
The adult RSV vaccines under development have shown promising results in clinical trials, showing an efficacy of about 85% without safety concerns. Rates of severe adverse events were similar in both the vaccine group and the placebo group, implying that the vaccine’s benefit outweighs the risks.
Disclaimer: Science is always evolving and our understanding of these topics may have evolved too since this was originally posted. Be sure to check out our most recent posts and browse the latest Just the Facts Topics for the latest.
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