PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Adel S. Alharbi
AU  - Mohamed Alzahrani
AU  - Abdulrahman N. Alodayani
AU  - Mohamed Y. Alhindi
AU  - Saleh Alharbi
AU  - Abdulrahman Alnemri
TI  - Saudi experts’ recommendation for RSV prophylaxis in the era of COVID-19
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2021.42.4.20200769
DP  - 2021 Apr 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 355--362
VI  - 42
IP  - 4
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/42/4/355.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/42/4/355.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2021 Apr 01; 42
AB  - Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and viral pneumonia in pediatrics worldwide. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the prevalence of RSV is 23.5% in pediatric patients with acute lower respiratory tract illness. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) poses critical public health and socioeconomic challenges in KSA. The Saudi Pediatric Pulmonology Association (SPPA), a subsidiary of the Saudi Thoracic Society (STS), developed a task force to determine the potential challenges and barriers to the RSV immunoprophylaxis program during the era of COVID-19 and to compose a practical, nationwide, and multidisciplinary approach to address these challenges. Some of the recommendations to manage these challenges include increasing the number of RSV immunoprophylaxis clinics, drive-thru visits, home-care services, and swift referrals to the RSV immunoprophylaxis program specialists. Additional training is required for healthcare personnel to add RSV immunoprophylaxis to the regular immunization schedule.