We are excited to announce that the RSV vaccine (Beyfortus) will be available at CMA starting in October for children 8 months of age or younger!

Please read on to learn more about the risks of RSV, the pros and cons of this vaccine, and who should and shouldn’t be receiving it this year.

Please DO NOT call the office to schedule.  If your child meets the criteria outlined below and you would like to be contacted to schedule the Beyfortus vaccine, please follow these steps to get on the waitlist:

1. Log on to the CMA patient portal (NOTE: If you do not already have a patient portal account, please call our office to set this up)

2. Click “Forms”

3. Click “View” next to your eligible child

4. Click “New Form”, then select “RSV Waiver Form” from the drop-down menu

5. Fill out this form and click “Submit Form”.  This is the final step!  One of our head nurses will contact you in the coming weeks to set up a nurse’s appointment for the Beyfortus shot

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What is RSV?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a very common respiratory viral infection between the months of October and April in the U.S.  In some children it causes the “common cold”, but many children have more serious infections, especially those children younger than 12 months of age or with serious heart or lung conditions.  In these at-risk individuals, RSV can lead to hospitalization or potentially be fatal.  In 2023 a vaccine called Beyfortus was released that can be given to children to effectively reduce this risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death due to RSV.  This vaccine is very safe and has fewer side effects even than most common vaccines given to children.

Who should get the RSV vaccine?

  • Healthy children under 8 months of age entering RSV season (starting October 1st)
  • Some children up to 19 months of age with high-risk conditions like significant prematurity (under 32 weeks gestation), moderate to severe lung disease, or a weakened immune system, to name a few.  Please speak with your provider at CMA if you are not sure if your child qualifies.

Who should NOT get the RSV vaccine?

  • Healthy children 8 months of age or older
  • Children who have already had an RSV infection
  • Children under 8 months of age whose mother received the RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy

More information about this RSV vaccine: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/rsv/immunization-information-statement.html