The RSV Patient Network aimed its annual RSV Awareness Week campaign to a wider audience, including not only parents or pregnant women, but also older adults and health care professionals
Every first week in November, coinciding with the start of the RSV season, the RSV Patient Network launches an awareness campaign. Traditionally, this has been directed to parents and parents to be as RSV was known to mainly affect babies. However, recent evidence has shown that severe RSV also affects adults >65, mostly those with underlying conditions. Regardless of this now well documented burden of disease in infants and older adults (see RESCEU’s publications), there is limited RSV awareness, not only amongst the general public but also health care professionals.
To revert this lack of awareness, from 7th – 11th November, the RSV Patient Network has launched videos and other communication materials featuring pregnant women and parents of young infants, older adults, midwives or doctors. Precisely, the testimonials of families who have gone through the ordeal of having their babies hospitalised due to severe and even live-threatening RSV disease, highlights the need to advance on research, surveillance and preventive treatment and immunisation solutions.
Watch some of the videos launched during RSV Awareness Week to get a glimpse on the long term impact, both physically and psychologically, that this respiratory disease has had on patients and their families:
🔆 Rachael Thomas (http://bit.ly/3hEqCZ4)
🔆 Sanne Hulsen and son Vik (http://bit.ly/3tyK63H)
🔆 Willemien ten Brink, and daughter Lola (http://bit.ly/3E2XDpf)
🔆 Esther Bleeker and daughter Elynn (http://bit.ly/3UWMzAC)
🔆 Lisa van Wissen (http://bit.ly/3hEmWX4)
If you would like to share your experience or join the RSV Patient Network please get in touch with PROMISE partner RESVINET here.
Recent evidence has shown that severe RSV also affects adults >65, mostly those with underlying conditions.
