RSV shot in short supply as cases spike in North Texas
RSV shot in short supply as cases spike in North Texas
A spike in RSV cases in recent weeks is straining local hospitals. An area mom shares her story of when her daughter was found to be battling RSV and three other viruses at once.
DALLAS - Area hospitals have seen a spike in RSV cases in recent weeks, and while there was the promise of a new immunization to protect babies and toddlers against RSV, that shot is now in short supply.
Katherine Leal Unmuth's daughter, Nicolette, caught the virus and what seemed like a simple fever quickly turned severe on Halloween night.
"She developed a fever. I was at work and my husband took her to the pediatrician," she recalled.
Unmuth says she noticed the baby, who was seven months old at the time, was having trouble drinking her milk.
READ MORE: Children's Health reports recent spike in RSV cases
"Her abdomen was moving a lot, I noticed she was struggling to breathe," she said.
She called her doctor, who told her she should go to the emergency room.
"They told my husband to wait across the street because it was at capacity," Unmuth said.
That same day, Children's Health told FOX 4 News the hospital was experiencing a surge in RSV cases.
"The numbers have increased quite dramatically over the last couple of weeks," said Dr. Jeffery Kahn, the chief infectious disease specialist at Children's Health told FOX 4 on Oct. 31.
"The doctor told us they didn't have beds available, she needed high-flow oxygen, but they needed to locate that equipment," Unmuth said.
10 hours after the family arrived at Children's Health, doctors were able to administer the high-flow oxygen.
Tests showed Nicolette was battling four viruses at once.
"The ER doctor confirmed she had RSV and COVID and then said that she had tested positive for four viruses, so additionally adenovirus and rhinovirus," Unmuth said. "That is when I was very panicked. What was going to happen? Are we going to lose her?"
Unmuth says Nicolette is a healthy baby with no pre-existing conditions.
Five days after arriving, Nicolette was better and able to go home.
Dr. Charles Dunlap with Pediatric Associates of Dallas's Plano Office said the surge of RSV cases continues, and it will likely get worse.
"I would say our surge is worse than typical for this time of the year. Sometimes we don't start to see the peak numbers of RSV until January or February," he said.
Unfortunately, the new immunization that provides antibodies to protect babies against RSV is in such short supply it is now being reserved for those most at risk.
"The demand has outpaced the supply and so it's become an extremely frustrating situation," said Dr. Dunlap.
He says people with babies and toddlers with underlying conditions should check with their pediatricians about a prescription for the shot.
"We do know of a few limited pharmacies around the Metroplex, very few, that may still have some doses," said Dr. Dunlap.
Children under three are most at risk of complications from RSV.
Dr. Dunlap says while the RSV shot is in short supply the flu shot is still readily available, as is the latest COVID vaccine for babies six months and up.