U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined medical professionals at a health center in Hartford on Monday to address Connecticut’s climbing cases of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV.
He said there have been at least 1,000 cases of the respiratory virus reported in the state since Nov. 5. The virus typically has flu-like symptoms, but can create complications for children, seniors and those with weak immune systems. Four people in the state have died from RSV.
Blumenthal said Connecticut, along with the rest of the country, is facing a shortage of vaccines for RSV.
“What we face is literally a public health crisis,” Blumenthal said. “RSV is the number one cause of infant hospitalization. And yet we face a shortage of the treatment that will prevent it.”
“That is totally unacceptable,” he added.
He announced that he has urged two major manufacturers of the vaccine, Sanofi and AstraZeneca, to not only produce and distribute vaccines at a more rapid pace, but also to sell them at an affordable price.
