One common virus is still killing thousands of children every year – but new vaccines offer hope | Devi Sridhar

The number one cause of infants being hospitalised in the US and Europe is a virus you’ve probably never heard of: RSV .

Most people experience it as a mild infection resembling a cold, but it can be very serious in babies and elderly people.

Worldwide, it’s estimated that each year 64 million people have RSV , causing about 160,000 deaths.

The burden on the NHS caring for RSV in children is higher than that for flu.

If these medicines are rolled out quickly and effectively, RSV in young children could be all but removed from the equation. That’s good news and another win for science. Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh .