By Trish Svoboda

Earlier this month, the Kansas Health Institute had a virtual forum about what RSV vaccines older folks may need, and the importance of why they need them.

Heath care professionals say people need more education about RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus.

RSV is common and causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. Most children have been infected with the virus by age 2. The virus can also infect adults.

RSV can cause severe infection in some people, including babies 12 months and younger, especially premature infants, older adults, people with heart and lung disease, or those with a weak immune system.

The virus can spread through contact, coughing and sneezing, and can live on surfaces, such as doorknobs, for hours.

The next virtual Zoom session is scheduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 16. The topic will be vaccinations for pregnant mothers and their babies. These sessions are part of KHI’s Ad Astra ECHO series covering immunization-related topics