Santé Québec will launch an immunization campaign against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on Sept. 30 in hospitals, CLSCs, and local service points.
Parents of babies will also be able to make appointments on Clic Santé starting Sep. 21.
The goal of the campaign is to administer an antibody as a preventive measure to 90 per cent of babies who will be six months old or younger during the viral season.
Last year, more than 56,000 doses of the antibody were administered during the province’s first immunization campaign, nearly twice as many as expected, according to Santé Québec.
RSV is a very common and highly contagious virus that usually manifests as a cold in preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults.
But it can have serious consequences in babies under a year old, and it’s said to be the number one cause of hospitalization during the first year of life, according to pediatric experts.
Santé Québec is not currently able to specify the exact eligibility criteria for free RSV immunization as the health body is waiting for an update from the (nstitut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ) regarding the Quebec Immunization Protocol.
They say they should have more information in mid-September.
Last year, infants under six months of age and certain babies at increased risk of complications were eligible.
