Norway’s FHI believes the RS virus could be more problematic for young children than corona

Due to the low incidence of the RS virus last season, the FHI expects lower immunity to the disease in the population this season, especially among children.

The FHI believes that – this autumn and winter – there is a high probability that the incidence of viral infections such as influenza, the RS virus, and pertussis will be much higher than in normal seasons.

Doctor and professor Anne Spurkland at UiO told the newspaper VG that the disease could potentially be more problematic for children than the coronavirus. The FHI told the newspaper that they share her view.

Of the respiratory infection viruses, RS and influenza most often cause illness in young children. The risk is most serious for children in the first year of life, FHI chief physician Margrethe Greve-Isdahl told the newspaper.

She says the main challenge with the RS virus is that many young children could be hospitalized in the same short period of time. Many could need treatment for several days and have to go to infection isolation rooms.

“Reopening leads to more social contact, with an easier spread of airborne infection. In addition, lower population immunity will contribute to more people being infected. This may lead to more people in Norway becoming ill in the coming seasons than normal, with larger waves of infection and more hospitalizations,” Greve-Isdahl said.

At present, the number of proven RS cases is low in Norway, but according to the FHI official, there has been a small increase in recent weeks.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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