JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Nationwide COVID restrictions are easing and with that, a local pediatrician says she’s seeing a big spike in respiratory syncytial virus cases. The virus also known as RSV, is a common respiratory virus that causes cold-like symptoms.
Megan Figuerrez is a mother of two and her four-year-old daughter Locklinn experienced respiratory syncytial virus when she was just 8 months old.
“It was terrifying so she had gotten really sick and then all of a sudden her breathing got weird like it was hard to explain but it was kind of raspy," said Figuerrez.
Locklinn’s virus lasted for a week and Figuerrez says she’s sure that Locklinn got the cold from a play area at her gym.
“Luckily I was breastfeeding so I was able to get her all those good nutrients and knock it out but it was really scary," said Figuerrez.
Dr. Annie Egan from Carithers Pediatric Group in Jacksonville says in the past couple weeks she’s seen a big wave of patients with RSV.
Dr. Egan says pre-pandemic, there were 58,000 hospitalizations a year due to RSV in children.
“October November to January February people were pretty well masked. Now that the masks have come off, we’re seeing a huge spike in all of the common winter and early spring respiratory viruses," says Dr. Egan.
Dr. Egan says right now some local daycares are closing due to RSV and for the first time ever she’s seeing that daycares are requiring an RSV test to return to daycare.
“This year its hitting all at once and to children between the ages who just entered daycare and kids who are a year-old who haven’t been exposed to anything they’re all getting it at the same time for the first time," said Dr. Egan.
While RSV is common in children, adults can also contract this virus. Dr. Egan says to diminish the spread wash your hand constantly and cover your mouth and nose.