Photo: Courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Massachusetts public health officials announced changes Tuesday to their recommendations for RSV immunization among infants.
Healthcare providers are usually advised to vaccinate eligible infants against Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, through March 31, but that endpoint is being extended through April 30.
According to DPH data, emergency department visits for RSV reached a seasonal peak in Massachusetts during the week of Feb 15, 2026. Emergency department visits for RSV have decreased since hitting that peak, but the virus is still circulating at "meaningful levels later into the spring than we typically see," Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a release.
“Public health guidance must reflect the reality of the moment," Goldstein said. "Extending access to these preventive tools is about matching data and risk with proven measures that can prevent and protect our youngest residents from the most severe effects of this illness.”
RSV often starts with cold-like symptoms, but can lead to more serious conditions, including pneumonia, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said in the release.
"This illness can be particularly problematic for very young infants and those with underlying medical conditions that make them especially vulnerable to the disease," the release read.