How is RSV contracted?
It is very, very easy to contract RSV. It is spread by physical contact (such as shaking hands with an infected person) or by air droplets (caused by an infected person sneezing or coughing). RSV can also live for up to 6 hours on surfaces, such as doorknobs, telephones, faucet handles, counters or used tissues, burp cloths. RSV infections are very common in areas where people are crowded together (either in living together or even taking mass transportation) and in day-care centers. In homes where there are multiple children, RSV can spread very rapidly from child to child. Older brothers and sisters may bring the virus home from school or friends’ homes.
