FLORENCE, Ky. — Doctors continue to report a shortage of a new RSV shot for infants, including local pediatricians.
Melinda Webster has a 12-week-old daughter and said she has called doctors across the Tri-State, looking for the new RSV shot, Nirsivimab.
“She starts day care in a few weeks and we’ve been able to keep her healthy so far," Webster said. “I know she’s going to be exposed to a lot of germs and it makes me really nervous that she hasn’t been able to have this vaccine yet.”
Webster isn't the only one unable to find the shot for her child.
“The difficulty we’ve had is getting it. And that’s been the number one thing we’ve had. We used up our entire supply," said Dr. John Lacount, a pediatrician at St. Elizabeth in Florence. "We were anticipating another shipment at any point and we just haven’t been able to get it."
The company that makes the shot, Sanofi, told ABC News that the shortage is due to an "unprecedented demand that outstripped our estimates."
Because of the nationwide shortage, the CDC is recommending doctors prioritize infants at a higher risk for severe RSV infection.
If they can't get the shot for their child, Lacount provided a few recommendations for parents trying to keep their children healthy.
“It’s washing hands, it’s prevention cleanliness, things like that," he said. “They need to be telling grandparents above 60 to make sure that they get the RSV vaccine.”
Webster said she is encouraged by her child's day care and their sanitation practices, but she said she's planning to take extra steps for prevention as well.
“We’ll just continue to keep our circle small and try to not take her out very much just to minimize any potential risks," said Webster.
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