LOS ANGELES —The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Nov. 1 unanimously approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn that seeks to curb spikes in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections that most seriously impact young children.
The action comes on the heels of neighboring Orange County proclaiming a local emergency due to rapidly spreading RSV infections and record numbers of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits.
The Board will also begin receiving data and information about RSV’s impacts to the public and private hospital systems.
The motion directs L.A. County’s Department of Public Health to work with the Los Angeles County Office of Education and community partners to develop and launch an RSV informational campaign and amplify messages about the importance of childhood vaccinations for preventable diseases.