Boston Children's Hospital postponing some elective surgeries amid RSV surge

BOSTON - Boston Children's Hospital is delaying some procedures as cases of RSV spread.

Dr. Daniel Rauch, a hospitalist with Children's, told The New York Times that some elective surgeries are being postponed to make room for more kids with respiratory illness. 

The newspaper reports that pediatric hospitals all over the country are overwhelmed by RSV, which is causing longer wait times in the ER for children with non-life-threatening conditions like broken legs or dog bites. A medical director at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore told The Times, "This is the pediatrician's Covid. This is our March 2020."

Boston Children's Hospital said in a statement to WBZ-TV it is also "experiencing high patient volume and significant wait times due to increased levels of seasonal illness, RSV and the ongoing behavioral health crisis."

"We review elective procedures in order to ensure that we have the capacity to care for our most at-risk patients, and at this time, we are reducing our elective schedule," the hospital said. "Currently, we are not transferring patients to other hospitals, and in non-emergent cases, we encourage families to contact their primary care providers to determine the best treatment option." 

There is some hope on the horizon for parents and providers. Pfizer is planning to ask for FDA approval of its RSV vaccine.

Pfizer said a large international study showed its RSV vaccine for pregnant moms was 82% effective at preventing severe cases of RSV in babies' most vulnerable first three months of life. By 6 months, the vaccine still was still 70% effective against serious illness.