A single jab that protects babies against a common and potentially dangerous winter bug has been developed. Parents with newborns could soon be offered it to stave off RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) the entire season - when cases peak.
It can cause serious and sometimes deadly infections in infants less than a year old. There is currently no option available. The single antibody shot stops chest infections, such as pneumonia. They are one of the main reasons children under five end up in hospital.
A trial involving 3,000 participants found the antibody, called nirsevimab, is safe. It lowered the risk of babies needing medical attention for severe symptoms by 79 per cent It also reduced hospitalisations by 77 per cent over the next five months, reports New Scientist.
