How RSV is impacting children, hospitals in Michigan
“Everybody should stay up to date on their vaccine,” says Matthew Sims, a local doctor and researcher on COVID and flu vaccines.
While some are still concerned about COVID-19, there is another virus that has been hitting Michiganders hard. RSV, or the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, has been affecting the health of infants and has been causing capacity problems for hospitals in the state.
“RSV is a common winter virus… It’s always affected children, especially premature infants.” — Dr. Matthew Sims, disease researcher
Listen: The RSV cases filling hospitals right now.
Guest
Dr. Matthew Sims is the director of infectious disease research at Corewell Health East (formerly Beaumont Hospital). He says the RSV and flu infections dropped when people were masking and taking active precautions against transmission — but has come back as people have returned to public spaces.
“RSV is a common winter virus,” says Sims. “It goes with flu and whatnot. It’s always affected children, especially premature infants. That was the real target of RSV.”
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