Can adults get RSV? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions
BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your coronavirus and RSV-related medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.
James says, "I am 88 years old and just recovering from shingles. How long should I wait before getting my third COVID booster and annual flu shot? I plan to fly to Houston in early December."
I would discuss this with your doctor, but you should be able to go ahead and get your COVID booster and the flu shot once you're feeling better from shingles. You definitely want to give your body two to three weeks to build immunity against both the flu and COVID before you go on your trip. Safe travels!
Melissa asks, "With regards to this new booster, is there really much difference between Moderna and Pfizer or are they pretty equal protection?"
There probably isn't a significant difference between the two bivalent boosters. The Moderna dose is slightly higher than Pfizer, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's any more effective.
John writes, "I came down with a continuing cough and wheezing three weeks ago and was diagnosed with pneumonia. I never tested positive for COVID. Is that possible?"
If you never tested positive for COVID, it sounds like you may have never had COVID and instead had another respiratory virus that then turned into bacterial pneumonia. There are other circulating viruses in the community right now, such as RSV and influenza, which can cause cold and flu-like symptoms. Bacterial pneumonia requiring antibiotics can be a complication of an initial viral illness. Your doctor would be the best judge since he or she saw you for your illness.
Kris says, "I am a 55-year-old female who was diagnosed with RSV on Sunday. I have felt the sickest I remember feeling as an adult. Can you address that this is not just a baby or child's disease?"
Yes, you're right. Anyone can get infected with Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and while older children and younger adults tend to get nothing more than a common cold, some people, especially those with underlying health conditions and older adults, can get more severe symptoms. In the past, we didn't routinely test adults with bad coughs and colds for RSV, and you would have known you had a bad respiratory illness but not known the cause. But since COVID and with greater surveillance for the infections that may cause a "tripledemic" this winter - namely, RSV, the flu and COVID - we're testing many more people for all three, including RSV.