More than half of U.S. newborns got RSV protection

More than half of U.S. newborns now appear to be protected by new RSV vaccines, according to updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Why it matters: The virus is considered the second leading cause of death worldwide during the first year of a child's life. The data suggests demand was strong despite broader vaccine skepticism and the potential for confusion over more childhood immunization options.

What they found: CDC figures through January show 40.5% of females with an infant 8 months or younger reported the child received the antibody Beyfortus, which was developed by Sanofi and AstraZeneca and approved by the FDA last July.
Between the lines: The number of RSV cases started increasing as early as July, but hospitalizations over the winter have been lower than the 2022-2023 respiratory virus season, when an uptick of cases strained some children's hospitals.