Why you should be prepared for seasonal illnesses

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Reporter Script:

As Canadians navigate the colder months, seasonal illnesses are at their peak. With cases on the rise, one to be aware of is respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

RSV poses a serious and often underestimated threat to older adults and those with weakened immune systems or certain underlying health problems, particularly those affecting the heart and lungs.

For these individuals, the virus can quickly escalate from what seems like a common cold into a severe lung infection, that may require hospitalization. Tragically, it can even lead to life-threatening complications.

In Canada, it's estimated that over twenty-three thousand adults aged sixty and older are hospitalized with RSV annually, with an estimated fourteen per cent of adults hospitalized from it experiencing a loss of independence and needing a higher level of care after discharge.

One way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by speaking with your healthcare provider about available vaccination options against RSV.

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