We have ordered and will soon be administering Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) to protect against RSV infection.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has provided helpful answers to most FAQ, and we summarize them here for your convenience:
Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) is a monoclonal antibody that provides passive immune protection against RSV lasting approximately 5 months. Passive immunity is temporary, like the immunity babies get from their mothers, and the immunity from Nirsevimab lasts about 5 months, which is the length of the typical RSV season.
Palivizumab (Synagis) has been used for many years to babies with extreme prematurity, heart and lung disease and/or significant immune compromise, but immunity from palivizumab only lasts 1 month and thus requires multiple doses throughout the RSV season.
We are excited about Nirsevimab as it will be available for healthy infants, and they will only need 1 dose during the RSV season.
Maternal RSV immunization is not yet available, so infants cannot yet receive passive immunity to RSV from their mothers.
Nirsevimab is to be given just before and/or during the RSV season. It is for healthy infants who are less than 8 months of age at the time of administration. Once a child is 8 months of age, that child is no longer eligible to receive Nirsevimab.
The RSV season is typically October – March, but the CDC monitors the levels of RSV and updates this information regularly.
Your child may receive Nirsevimab as early as within the first week of life, but healthy infants become ineligible to receive Nirsevimab at 8 months of age.
Your child may receive Nirsevimab even if he/she is not 100% well on the day of administration.
Per the AAP: “The AAP suggests following CDC General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunizations, which recommends that vaccination should be deferred for persons with a moderate or severe acute illness, as this precaution avoids causing diagnostic confusion between the underlying illness and potential adverse effects of immunization. Similar to routine childhood vaccines, mild illness – with or without fever – should not be used as a reason to delay administration of nirsevimab.” *
Your child may receive Nirsevimab alone or at the time of routine immunizations.
Per the CDC: “In accordance with CDC general best practices for immunizations, simultaneous administration of nirsevimab with age-appropriate vaccines is recommended. Nirsevimab is not expected to interfere with the immune response to other vaccines and had similar safety and reactogenicity profiles to vaccines administered without nirsevimab.” *
*Source American Academy of Pediatrics
Children who are immunocompromised due to extreme prematurity or other conditions and those with chronic heart or lung disease who are less than 19 months of age at the start of their second RSV season may be eligible for Nirsevimab.
