Reported cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) started rising dramatically in September and were at their highest levels in at least 2 years by mid-October, according to data from the CDC. In addition, cases of RSV are presenting as more severe even among children who are otherwise healthy. The early surge is due in large part to the cohorts of infants born right before and during the COVID-19 pandemic with no exposure to many respiratory viruses, including RSV. Experts encouraged clinicians to reinforce good hand hygiene and to ensure that children
are up to date with other routine immunizations for vaccine-preventable diseases, even though there is not yet a vaccine for RSV. Amid the surge, the FDA has also reported a shortage of amoxicillin oral solution, which may be related to the ongoing increase in RSV cases. Patients unable to obtain the drug at the prescribed strength should be consulted on potentially changing the strength of the prescription or switching to an alternative option for treating pediatric bacterial infections, such as clavulanate or cefuroxime.
