BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last week that the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine Beyfortus will become more widely available through the distribution of 77,000 additional doses across the country.

This is being made possible by the federally funded Vaccines for Children program, which provides the immunizations at no cost to families.

What You Need To Know

  • A recent announcement to roll out more Beyfortus doses helps infants, not babies eight months and older
  • The CDC and FDA announced 77,000 more doses to come to doctor's offices and hospitals this winter
  • In October, the CDC amended its recommendations due to the shortage for the drug to exclude babies eight months and older

In a statement, the CDC’s Principal Deputy Director Dr. Nirav D. Shah, said:

"CDC and FDA are committed to expanding access to this important immunization so that more parents have peace of mind during the winter virus season."

However, one family will not have peace of mind this winter as their daughter, a soon-to-be eight-month-old, remains unvaccinated against RSV.

“Right now, the RSV vaccine is not available at her pediatrician, which has been frustrating,” said Casey Oberste, mother of Camden Oberste. 

Due to a shortage, the Beyfortus vaccine is no longer recommended for her child after a change announced by the CDC in October. Now, it is only recommended for children under eight months or those with additional health conditions.

“We're not taking her out a lot [and] she's not seeing a ton of family members at this point,” Oberste said. “We have to make sure that we're just doing our due diligence to keep her safe.”

Oberste is also a retail pharmacist, and said she believes in the importance of vaccines against illnesses that could seriously harm babies. She said for the holidays, she and her husband will be careful to make sure family members are not sick around Camden and encourage them to stay up to date on their immunizations.