Dear Jools, I do hope you continue to recover well. I had never heard of respiratory syncytial virus until reading your piece today, and then by a strange coincidence, just after reading your piece, I saw an article about it in today's Mail on Sunday (page 45). It looks like you were singularly unlucky as I learned that RSV "is mostly found in infants but also affects the elderly." There is now a vaccine for it, but only approved for over 60s. Ministers were advised nearly 18 months ago by medics to roll out the vaccine, but no plans have yet been announced to do so. Teresa x
Teresa, it is always so lovely to hear from you! Thank you for the well wishes - it's been a wild 17 months, but I'm pleased to finally be on the better side of this illness. I'll have to see if I can find that article online (thanks for letting me know about it) - what a mixture of good and frustrating news about the vaccine for it! When the Doctor told me what I had and explained the demographic who usually get it, I felt like I had drawn the shortest of straws! 😅 Here's to hoping ministers decide to roll out the vaccine - RSV is so grim, and my experience with it shows that it can hit those who least expect it to x
Jools, I get the virtual paper so here is the piece cut and pasted below:
HEALTH
Calls for rollout of new lung disease vaccine
By Pat Hagan
THOUSANDS of older people may be at risk of life-threatening heart problems unless the Government sanctions the use of a new jab on the NHS, experts fear.
Ministers were advised nearly 18 months ago by medics to roll out a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Although mostly found in infants, the bug also affects the elderly, killing an estimated 4,000 or so over-75s every winter in the UK from complications such as pneumonia. However, no plans have yet been announced to introduce the jab.
Now alarming new research showing RSV infection can lead to potentially fatal heart complications in the elderly has led to renewed calls for the vaccine to be made available soon to about 5.5 million older people.
The data, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at more than 6,000 elderly US patients in their 70s diagnosed with RSV between 2014 and 2023. A fifth suffered a severe cardiac crisis linked to the bug - most commonly sudden heart failure.
The cardiac risks were even greater in those who already had some element of heart disease, such as high blood pressure or blocked arteries.
RSV is spread by large droplets and the virus can survive on surfaces for up to seven hours.
A vaccine - called Arexvy - has been approved for use in the UK in adults aged 60 and above. Studies show it is at least 80 per cent effective in preventing RSV infections.
Professor Adam Finn, an infectious diseases expert and professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It has been known for some time that RSV infection can present as cardiac failure. This research adds further evidence of the seriousness of this infection in old people, particularly those with underlying heart disease.
‘I’m optimistic that we will see implementation of a vaccine programme against RSV this year. I hope the disruption caused by the election will not jeopardise that in any way.’
The Health Department said it was working through the full business case, with the aim of finalising an agreement in time for an autumn start.
Teresa - thank you SO MUCH for sharing this with me! It's terrifying to know that RSV has the potential to cause so much damage, and yet little to no information is shared about it.
A few friends of mine who are mum's to young children only knew about it when their kids caught it, but more should really be known about this virus as the impact is quite literally deadly. If there is a chance that Arexvy can be rolled out to other 'at risk' groups who don't fall into the categories above (like myself), it could be a lifesaver.
Again, thank you for sharing this - I feel like I'm still learning so much about something I've been dealing with the aftermath of for the past 17 months! 😩 x
I really hope you can ask to be considered for the vaccine after this clears up as this is nasty and due to the experience you've had with it and also with your existing asthma. Oh Jools, what a horrid horrid time, I hope your ear is continually getting better, obviously I am deaf anyway BUT when your hearing is taken away suddenly or something changes from your usual normal, it's such an disorientating and horrid feeling and also especially in one ear. Sometimes it makes my head swim a lot when it's overwhelming to have all the noise going in one better ear!
❤️ Thank you, Katie. I'm keeping everything crossed that I am considered for it, but wouldn't be surprised if I'm not eligible for the vaccine (I had hoped I would still be COVID Vaxxed with my Mum when she had her Spring booster as I was getting jabs as her primary carer, but that's all over now).
The hearing side of this has been a wild experience - it came as a very sudden shock! As I type this, it's still going on (I'll do a better update soon) but I had a swab test and am back to the GP next week again as they're referring me back to ENT as the ear is still not better. G'ah - I can imagine how much it must make your head swim at times! xxx
Dear Jools, I do hope you continue to recover well. I had never heard of respiratory syncytial virus until reading your piece today, and then by a strange coincidence, just after reading your piece, I saw an article about it in today's Mail on Sunday (page 45). It looks like you were singularly unlucky as I learned that RSV "is mostly found in infants but also affects the elderly." There is now a vaccine for it, but only approved for over 60s. Ministers were advised nearly 18 months ago by medics to roll out the vaccine, but no plans have yet been announced to do so. Teresa x
Teresa, it is always so lovely to hear from you! Thank you for the well wishes - it's been a wild 17 months, but I'm pleased to finally be on the better side of this illness. I'll have to see if I can find that article online (thanks for letting me know about it) - what a mixture of good and frustrating news about the vaccine for it! When the Doctor told me what I had and explained the demographic who usually get it, I felt like I had drawn the shortest of straws! 😅 Here's to hoping ministers decide to roll out the vaccine - RSV is so grim, and my experience with it shows that it can hit those who least expect it to x
Jools, I get the virtual paper so here is the piece cut and pasted below:
HEALTH
Calls for rollout of new lung disease vaccine
By Pat Hagan
THOUSANDS of older people may be at risk of life-threatening heart problems unless the Government sanctions the use of a new jab on the NHS, experts fear.
Ministers were advised nearly 18 months ago by medics to roll out a vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Although mostly found in infants, the bug also affects the elderly, killing an estimated 4,000 or so over-75s every winter in the UK from complications such as pneumonia. However, no plans have yet been announced to introduce the jab.
Now alarming new research showing RSV infection can lead to potentially fatal heart complications in the elderly has led to renewed calls for the vaccine to be made available soon to about 5.5 million older people.
The data, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, looked at more than 6,000 elderly US patients in their 70s diagnosed with RSV between 2014 and 2023. A fifth suffered a severe cardiac crisis linked to the bug - most commonly sudden heart failure.
The cardiac risks were even greater in those who already had some element of heart disease, such as high blood pressure or blocked arteries.
RSV is spread by large droplets and the virus can survive on surfaces for up to seven hours.
A vaccine - called Arexvy - has been approved for use in the UK in adults aged 60 and above. Studies show it is at least 80 per cent effective in preventing RSV infections.
Professor Adam Finn, an infectious diseases expert and professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It has been known for some time that RSV infection can present as cardiac failure. This research adds further evidence of the seriousness of this infection in old people, particularly those with underlying heart disease.
‘I’m optimistic that we will see implementation of a vaccine programme against RSV this year. I hope the disruption caused by the election will not jeopardise that in any way.’
The Health Department said it was working through the full business case, with the aim of finalising an agreement in time for an autumn start.
Teresa - thank you SO MUCH for sharing this with me! It's terrifying to know that RSV has the potential to cause so much damage, and yet little to no information is shared about it.
A few friends of mine who are mum's to young children only knew about it when their kids caught it, but more should really be known about this virus as the impact is quite literally deadly. If there is a chance that Arexvy can be rolled out to other 'at risk' groups who don't fall into the categories above (like myself), it could be a lifesaver.
Again, thank you for sharing this - I feel like I'm still learning so much about something I've been dealing with the aftermath of for the past 17 months! 😩 x
I really hope you can ask to be considered for the vaccine after this clears up as this is nasty and due to the experience you've had with it and also with your existing asthma. Oh Jools, what a horrid horrid time, I hope your ear is continually getting better, obviously I am deaf anyway BUT when your hearing is taken away suddenly or something changes from your usual normal, it's such an disorientating and horrid feeling and also especially in one ear. Sometimes it makes my head swim a lot when it's overwhelming to have all the noise going in one better ear!
❤️ Thank you, Katie. I'm keeping everything crossed that I am considered for it, but wouldn't be surprised if I'm not eligible for the vaccine (I had hoped I would still be COVID Vaxxed with my Mum when she had her Spring booster as I was getting jabs as her primary carer, but that's all over now).
The hearing side of this has been a wild experience - it came as a very sudden shock! As I type this, it's still going on (I'll do a better update soon) but I had a swab test and am back to the GP next week again as they're referring me back to ENT as the ear is still not better. G'ah - I can imagine how much it must make your head swim at times! xxx