Protecting yourself and your family from RSV involves a combination of vaccines, immunizations for infants, and everyday habits that reduce transmission. RSV season typically starts in the fall and peaks in winter, though exact timing varies by region. The good news: several effective prevention tools are now available for the groups most vulnerable to severe illness, including infants, older adults, and people with chronic health conditions.
Who Needs Protection Most
RSV causes cold-like symptoms in most healthy adults, but it can be dangerous for two groups at opposite ends of the age spectrum. Infants under six months are especially vulnerable because their airways are small and their immune systems are still developing. Among older adults, those 75 and up face the highest risk of severe illness, along with adults of any age who have chronic heart or lung disease, weakened immune systems, or live in nursing homes.
RSV can also worsen existing conditions like asthma, COPD, and heart failure, making prevention particularly important if you manage any of these.
Vaccines for Adults
Three RSV vaccines are available for adults, and all showed strong protection in clinical trials. Abrysvo (Pfizer) reduced lower respiratory tract disease by about 88%, Arexvy (GSK) by about 85%, and mResvia (Moderna) by about 84%. These are single-dose vaccines, meaning you get one shot rather than an annual series.
The CDC recommends RSV vaccination for all adults 75 and older, and for adults ages 50 to 74 who are at increased risk of severe illness. That includes people with chronic lung or heart conditions, those with weakened immune systems, and residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities. If you fall into one of these categories and haven’t been vaccinated, it’s worth discussing with your provider before RSV season begins.
Protecting Newborns and Infants
Infants can’t be vaccinated themselves, but two strategies now exist to shield them during their most vulnerable months.
The first is a maternal vaccine. Pregnant women can receive a single dose of Abrysvo between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy, ideally sometime from September through January. The vaccine prompts the mother’s immune system to produce protective antibodies, which then cross the placenta and give the baby a head start before birth. Timing matters: getting vaccinated after 36 weeks may not leave enough time for antibodies to transfer.
The second option is nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting antibody given directly to infants. It’s recommended for all babies under eight months entering their first RSV season, and for children eight to 19 months old who have a higher risk of severe disease. Ideally, babies born during RSV season receive it within the first week of life, often before leaving the hospital. During the 2024-25 RSV season, these two products together cut RSV hospitalizations among infants under three months by roughly 45 to 52%, with the largest reductions occurring during peak months from December through February.
Premature infants born before 29 weeks, babies with chronic lung disease from prematurity, and infants with certain serious heart conditions may also qualify for monthly antibody injections (palivizumab) throughout RSV season. Your baby’s pediatrician will know if this applies.
Everyday Habits That Reduce Spread
RSV spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and through contaminated surfaces. On hard surfaces like countertops, the virus can survive for seven to eight hours. On soft materials like clothing it lasts one to two and a half hours, and on paper tissues less than an hour. That means the surfaces you touch throughout the day, especially in shared spaces, are a real transmission route.
A few practical steps make a meaningful difference:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer, especially before touching a baby or after being in public spaces.
- Clean high-touch surfaces regularly, including doorknobs, light switches, toys, and phones. Standard household disinfectants work.
- Improve indoor air quality by opening windows when possible, using air purifiers, or choosing outdoor gatherings during peak season.
- Stay home when sick. Adults with what feels like a mild cold can still pass RSV to a vulnerable infant or older relative.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, not your hands.
Children frequently pick up RSV in school and daycare settings and bring it home. If you have a newborn, limiting their exposure to older siblings’ germs during peak season (December through February) can help. Ask visitors to wash their hands before holding the baby, and consider postponing large indoor gatherings during the first few months of life.
Timing Your Protection
Because RSV circulates primarily from fall through winter, the window for prevention starts before cases begin climbing. For adults, getting vaccinated before the season kicks off provides the strongest coverage. For pregnant women, the September-through-January vaccination window aligns with the months when a newborn would be most at risk. And for infants, receiving nirsevimab early in the season, or at birth if born during RSV months, means protection is in place before the peak hits.
The combination of vaccination, infant immunization products, and basic hygiene habits has already produced measurable drops in RSV hospitalizations. These tools work best when used proactively, before RSV starts circulating in your community, rather than in response to an outbreak.