RSV surge putting a strain on working parents, childcare centers
BOSTON - Yasmine Antoine brought her daughter to her pediatrician Friday. The MBTA operator wanted to make sure her child stays healthy. "It's hard to take days off, but then again, I have to be there for my kids," she said.
The girl's doctor, Robyn Riseberg, is urging parents worried about the current surge in RSV cases to call her office before rushing to overwhelmed hospital emergency rooms. She also says parents should keep kids home, which can be nearly impossible sometimes.
"Especially many parents who need to work and be able to pay their bills...we are seeing bills higher now," Riseberg said. "Having a family member or someone to take care of their kid while they're working can be challenging now."
Childcare centers are also feeling the effects, going to extra lengths to keep things germ free. "In our three programs, we've had a total of eight cases of RSV so far this year. One was a child who required hospitalization for a couple weeks," said Claire McNally, Vice President of Programs at Ellis Early Learning.
McNally said a pregnant staff member also got sick. It's a virus the center sees every year, but this year McNally said it hit months earlier, and brought all the strain of childcare with it.
