The World Health Organization on Tuesday recommended vaccinating pregnant women and administering infants with an antibody to prevent severe respiratory synctial virus (RSV) infection in newborns.
RSV, which typically causes cold-like symptoms, is a leading cause of severe infection and death in babies and older adults. A majority of RSV-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with about 101,400 annual deaths in children under the age of five, according to the WHO.