November 30th, 2022 by WCBC Radio

Every fall and winter, viral respiratory illnesses like the common cold and seasonal flu keep kids out of school and social activities. But this year, more children than usual are ending up at emergency departments and hospitals. In Maryland, emergency rooms have run out of beds because of the unusually high number of severe respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, infections. The early surge in respiratory infections with high rates of hospitalization highlights the importance of prevention. Dr. Matthew Simmons, an Infectious Disease Specialist at UPMC Western Maryland says the best tool we have for prevention is vaccination. Vaccines that protect against COVID-19 and influenza are available and recommended for everyone over 6 months of age…