Which of the following is a recommended management step for RSV?

Which of the following is a recommended management step for RSV?

• A. Vaccination
• B. Hand hygiene
• C. Humidification
• D. Saline drops

Answer: (B)

Preventing transmission is the key idea. RSV is highly contagious and spreads easily through hands and surfaces as well as droplets, so rigorous hand hygiene is the most effective way to limit spread in a patient care setting. Washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based sanitizer when hands aren’t visibly dirty reduces the viral load carried by staff and caregivers and helps protect other patients. Vaccination isn’t part of managing an active RSV infection. There isn’t a routine RSV vaccine used for general treatment; there are preventive options like palivizumab for certain high-risk infants, but that’s prophylaxis, not treatment of an illness. Humidification and saline nasal drops may provide comfort by easing nasal symptoms, but they don’t address transmission or the core management goal of preventing spread, so they’re not the primary management step.

Preventing transmission is the key idea. RSV is highly contagious and spreads easily through hands and surfaces as well as droplets, so rigorous hand hygiene is the most effective way to limit spread in a patient care setting. Washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based sanitizer when hands aren’t visibly dirty reduces the viral load carried by staff and caregivers and helps protect other patients.

Vaccination isn’t part of managing an active RSV infection. There isn’t a routine RSV vaccine used for general treatment; there are preventive options like palivizumab for certain high-risk infants, but that’s prophylaxis, not treatment of an illness.

Humidification and saline nasal drops may provide comfort by easing nasal symptoms, but they don’t address transmission or the core management goal of preventing spread, so they’re not the primary management step.