Why This Matters More Than Ever
Respiratory viruses are coming back with a vengence. For anyone in the pharmacy profession, this respiratory season brings a strong reminder: staying current on prevention, testing, and treatment for the likes of Influenza (flu) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) isn’t optional – it’s essential.
The Flu & RSV Reality Check for This Respiratory Season
Let’s dig into the numbers that show just how serious things are:
Influenza (Flu):
- During the 2023-2024 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates: ~40 million flu illnesses in the U.S., ~18 million medical visits, ~470,000 hospitalizations and ~28,000 flu-related deaths. CDC+1
- In the 2024-2025 season, preliminary data indicate that influenza activity was classified as high severity for all age groups. CDC+1
- Hospitalization rate in 2024-25: ~127.1 hospitalizations per 100,000 population — the highest since the 2010-11 season. CDC
- Vaccination rates leave room for improvement: only about 43.1% of adults age 18+ and 43.7% of children ages 6 months–17 years reported having a flu shot in the past 12 months. CDC
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus):
- In the U.S., each year an estimated 110,000-180,000 adults ages 50+ are hospitalized because of RSV. CDC
- RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the U.S. CDC+1
- In the 2024-25 season, hospitalization rates among infants aged 0-7 months dropped compared to pre-COVID seasons (8.5 vs 15.0 per 1,000 children in one surveillance network)—likely reflecting new preventive tools coming online. CDC
What This Means for You in the Pharmacy
- Prevention matters: With such high burden—especially among older adults, infants, and other high-risk groups—pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must be proactive in educating patients about vaccines, monoclonal antibodies (for RSV), and influenza prevention strategies this respiratory season.
- Test & Treat-friendly environment: For influenza (and increasingly RSV and other respiratory viruses), being able to identify eligible patients quickly, initiate diagnostic/POCT services, and apply treatment algorithms can make a real difference in outcomes.
- Workflow integration: Incorporate respiratory virus prevention into your routine: think vaccine administration, patient counseling, screening workflows, documentation, and follow-up.
- Stay up to date: The viral landscape changes—new vaccines, updated guidelines, changing epidemiology. Ensuring your knowledge base is current lets you counsel confidently and effectively.
- Patient education focus: Many patients assume “just a bad cold”—educate them that RSV isn’t just a childhood “cold” and influenza can be far more serious than many recognize. Empowered patients make better decisions.
Bottom Line
This respiratory season isn’t business as usual. With flu already hitting high severity and RSV continuing to pose major risk—especially for our most vulnerable populations—your role as a pharmacy professional matters more than ever. By embracing education, prevention, testing, and care workflows, you’re helping to raise the bar for patient outcomes.
Let’s stay alert, informed, and prepared. Your patients (and your pharmacy team) will thank you.
