Can You Get RSV Twice? Yes, and It’s Common
Key takeaways:
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes the common cold. But in young children, it can also cause more serious lower respiratory tract infections, like bronchiolitis.
You can get RSV twice (or more). Most people get sick with RSV multiple times throughout their lives.
You can get RSV twice in the same cold and flu season, but this is rare.
Table of contents
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is active during the cold and flu season. RSV is best known for causing bronchiolitis, a lower respiratory tract illness, in young children. Infants and toddlers with bronchiolitis can get very sick and have trouble breathing. Some children need to be cared for in a hospital.
Adults get RSV, too. But most adults only experience mild cold symptoms. If you or your child was recently sick with RSV, you may be wondering if it’s possible to get RSV twice. Here’s what you should know about RSV reinfections.
Can you get RSV twice?
Yes, you can get RSV twice. In fact, you can get RSV many times throughout your life. Getting RSV a second (or third or fourth) time is called “RSV reinfection.” RSV reinfection isn’t just common, it’s expected.
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You probably don’t remember the first time you had RSV. That’s because it likely happened before you were 2 years old. And your second round of RSV? It likely happened a year later.
Studies show that after early childhood, children have a 10% to 20% chance of getting sick with RSV each year. The rates in adults are slightly lower. But those numbers mean that you’re likely to get RSV several times in your lifetime.
This happens because getting sick with RSV doesn’t trigger a lasting immune response. So, getting sick with RSV doesn’t give you much protection against future illnesses. And even if you do form antibodies against RSV, studies show these antibodies don’t offer complete protection. In one study, adults with high levels of antibodies against RSV only managed to avoid reinfection 25% of the time.
And like most common cold viruses, RSV changes from season to season, which makes it even harder for the immune system to keep you from getting sick with it.
Can you get RSV more than once in the same cold and flu season?
Yes, you can get RSV more than once in the same cold and flu season. But it’s not as common to get RSV twice in the same season since your immune response to RSV can last several weeks.
If you do get RSV multiple times in the same season, your symptoms will be less severe. Most people get few (or no) symptoms because their immune system can still quickly fight off the virus.
What does adult RSV look like? Here are the most common symptoms of RSV in adults.
Not sure what’s causing your cold symptoms? Here’s the difference between RSV, the flu, and COVID.
Trying to avoid RSV? An RSV vaccine can keep you from getting sick.
How long does RSV immunity last after an infection?
RSV immunity does not last very long, which is why it’s so common to get RSV multiple times in your life. After you get RSV, you are immune to the illness for a few months. The exact length of time immunity lasts isn’t precisely known and it may vary a little bit from person to person. But older studies suggest that immunity can last between 2 and 8 months for most adults.
Is RSV contagious?
Yes, RSV is extremely contagious. Studies proved long ago that it’s nearly impossible to avoid getting sick with RSV. People who’ve never had RSV and get exposed to the virus have a 98% chance of getting sick. That number doesn’t change much if you’ve had RSV once before and get exposed a second time. But the risk of getting sick does go down after your third bout of RSV.
What are the symptoms of RSV?
Most people who get RSV develop cold symptoms, like:
Congestion
Runny nose
Cough
Low-grade fever
Postnasal drip
People with more serious illness experience trouble breathing and rapid breathing.
Who is most at risk for getting RSV?
Babies and young children are most likely to get sick from RSV because they haven’t been exposed to the virus yet.
Adults are more likely to get RSV if they live with or work with young children who attend school or daycare.
Most children and adults only experience mild cold symptoms. But some people are more likely to develop serious illness from RSV, including:
Premature babies
Infants younger than 2 years old
People over 65 years old
People with chronic heart or lung problems
People who have a weakened immune system
How can you prevent RSV reinfection?
There are steps you can take to prevent RSV reinfection. To keep yourself from getting sick again, you can:
Avoid people who are sick with RSV or have cold symptoms
Wash your hands often with soap and water
Avoid touching your face, eyes, and mouth during cold and flu season
Consider wearing a mask in public spaces during cold and flu season
Limit your contact with babies and young children during RSV season
If you’re over 60 years old, you can also talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated against RSV. Arexvy is an FDA-approved vaccine against RSV. It can lower the risk of developing severe RSV symptoms by 94%.
How do you treat RSV?
Most people who get sick with RSV can take care of their symptoms at home using treatments like saline nasal sprays and cool mist vaporizers to loosen mucus. Over-the-counter (OTC) acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) can help with fever or sore throat. Generally, any treatments that help with the common cold will also help with RSV.
There’s no cure for RSV. But taking general precautions during cold and flu season can lower your chances of getting RSV. Make sure to wash your hands regularly, and try not to touch your face and mouth. Disinfect commonly used surfaces and avoid contact with people who are sick with cold symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
It’s not clear how soon you can get RSV again after being sick. Older studies show that immunity lasts for several weeks to months, depending on a person’s age and overall health. You shouldn’t get sick with RSV while you still have antibodies from your last infection.
Generally, RSV is not as bad the second time. Most children have fewer and more mild symptoms with each RSV illness. They might have a runny nose, a mild fever, and congestion, but they won’t have trouble breathing.
The RSV virus is contagious. If someone in your household is sick with RSV, the virus can pass to everyone else in the home rather quickly. You might not all get sick at the same time. Usually one person gets sick and then a few days later, another person develops symptoms. But RSV shouldn’t pass back and forth because everyone develops antibodies once they’re sick. If people in your home get sick back to back, it’s likely from another cold virus and not RSV.
The bottom line
RSV is a common cold virus that also causes more serious lower respiratory tract illnesses — like bronchiolitis — in young children and older adults. Everyone gets RSV at least once by the time they reach their third birthday. But the immune system’s response to RSV doesn’t last very long, so you can get RSV more than once in your lifetime. Most people come down with RSV multiple times during their lives. You can even get RSV twice in the same cold and flu season, though it’s not common.
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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). How RSV spreads.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). RSV vaccines.
Crowe Jr., J. E. (2016). Respiratory syncytial virus. Infectious Diseases.
Glezen, W. P., et al. (1986). Risk of primary infection and reinfection with respiratory syncytial virus. American Journal of Diseases of Children.
Hall, C. B., et al. (1991). Immunity to and frequency of reinfection with respiratory syncytial virus. Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Henderson, F. W., et al. (1979). Respiratory-syncytial-virus infections, reinfections and immunity. A prospective, longitudinal study in young children. New England Journal of Medicine.
Lambert, L., et al. (2014). Immunity to RSV in early-life. Frontiers in Immunology.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2023). FDA approves first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine.
