Pharmacist warns against ‘Kissmas’ as pandemic immunity gap causes surge in Bronchiolitis

Kissing loved ones this Christmas could put little ones in danger warns Irish Pharmacist, Sheena Mitchell as RSV infections in Ireland reach unprecedented levels.

With the December countdown underway, the pharmacist and mum of three young children says that Mums and Dads should keep people away from their babies under 6-months. Kissing the baby, touching the baby’s face or hands, and passing the baby around family and friends is a no-no. With a mission to empower parents so they don’t feel guilty for protecting their baby, the founder of family medical resource Wonderbaba.ie and owner of Milltown pharmacy totalhealth, says the same precautions for Covid should be taken to help prevent RSV infection.

Pharmacist, Sheena Mitchell highlights the importance of cocooning babies under 6-months during this unusual spike in RSV cases saying, “Young babies and those that were born premature, will experience difficulty maintaining the oxygen levels in their blood when they have inflammation in their airways. Parents really need to keep their babies away from other people while this virus which causes bronchiolitis is in such high circulation. The symptoms for RSV only become apparent between days three to five of infection, so children and family members could pass it on without realising.”

Now a global issue, scientists say a pandemic immunity gap is responsible for the surge in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, a common cold-like virus that can cause breathing problems for the most vulnerable.