Alberta will begin offering respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) monoclonal antibody treatments to newborns in November, providing the treatment free to babies born in hospitals from November through April. Families will be offered the protection shortly after birth, before their babies leave hospital. That will be the only publicly funded opportunity to receive it, and coverage lasts about six months.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious complications in infants. Doctors have called for the treatments to be covered for years. The antibodies were not available in Canada until 2023, and until this year Alberta paid for them only for newborns considered at high risk, including babies born prematurely.

Calgary paediatrician Dr. Sidd Thakore said the Alberta Children’s Hospital faces a difficult RSV season each autumn and books extra staff to manage the influx of patients. He hopes the treatments will make the season more manageable. “This is a game changer,” Thakore said. “We are excited about the possibilities here.”

“We know that starting in October for four or five months, we see a surge of babies getting sick,” Thakore said. “And talking to my colleagues in Ontario and Quebec who’ve had this now for two years, they said their winter months have changed substantially.” He added: “Their ICUs (and) inpatient units are quieter because there’s less RSV.”

Last season, 549 babies in Alberta were hospitalized with RSV, and 66 were admitted to intensive care. No deaths were reported. Thakore said care can be difficult because there is little doctors can do to treat the illness itself. “You’re helping the baby feed and maybe putting in a feeding tube because they can’t do it normally. You’re helping them with breathing by giving them oxygen, or if they’re getting sicker they may need a tube in the body to help the lungs.”

“That’s what we do to support them until they get over the illness. So it’s been a really tough one for us every year,” he said.

A University of Calgary-led study published in September found the antibody treatment greatly reduced intensive care admissions. Study author Dr. Stephen Freedman said, “We found a dramatic reduction, most notably in intensive care unit admissions of 97 per cent.” He said it was “nearly 80 per cent effective” in reducing overall emergency department visits.

Freedman said Wednesday he expects the program to help Alberta families. “I think it’s going to be dramatic. And I really hope our population embraces this opportunity.” Pregnant women between 28 and 36 months pregnant can also receive the shot at most provincial pharmacies, but must pay a fee.

Based on reporting by CTV News Calgary.