Some Pregnant Women and Infants Received the Wrong R.S.V. Shots

This winter marked the availability of two vaccines to combat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus that poses a particular danger to older adults and infants. One vaccine, Abrysvo by Pfizer, received approval for use in pregnant women, while neither vaccine was approved for young children. Unfortunately, at least 128 pregnant women were mistakenly given the alternative vaccine, Arexvy by GSK, and at least 25 children under the age of 2 received a vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning regarding the mix-up. Arexvy’s effects on pregnant women and children are not well-studied, and the outcome in most reported cases is currently unknown. The CDC recommends that the children who received the incorrect vaccine also be given nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, to provide additional protection during the RSV season.