Colds, flu and other respiratory viruses including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are more common at this time of year in schools, early learning centres and homes.

These winter illnesses can be easily spread by sneezes or cough droplets. For most adults and older children an RSV infection will be like a cold. Most people take about 10 days to recover and will get better on their own. Very young children and babies can become seriously ill and require urgent medical care and hospitalisation. RSV infections may progress to cause pneumonia and bronchiolitis, especially in infants. To stop the spread of RSV and other viruses, everyone should maintain good hand hygiene and stay home if they have any cold or flu symptoms. Symptoms If you or your child has RSV, the most common symptoms are:

• a runny nose 
• coughing or sneezing 
• fever
• wheezing and difficulty breathing
• loss of appetite, or 
• difficulty feeding due to breathlessness. 

If you would like more information about RSV, please refer to the attachment information sheet from Regional Public Health.