Have you all gotten your flu shot? What about your Covid booster? Please do if you haven’t yet. The reason the flu shot is so important this season is because not only is this predicted to be the worst flu season in 13 years, but it may help protect everyone in the spread of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV is already here, unseasonably early, and filling up hospitals. Specifically children’s hospitals. Amy Schumer, who was this week’s host of Saturday Night Live, can attest that RSV is nothing to mess around with. Her three-year-old son, Gene Fisher, was hospitalized with the virus, causing her to miss rehearsals so she culd be with him. Fortunately, Gene is home now and on the mend.
Amy Schumer’s son Gene is on the mend after a bout with RSV.
In an Instagram post on Sunday, the comedian and actress, 41, revealed that her son with husband Chris Fischer was hospitalized for RSV as she was juggling the demanding schedule of hosting Saturday Night Live this week.
“This was the hardest week of my life,” Schumer wrote alongside a series of behind-the-scenes photographs on the SNL set. “I missed Thursday rehearsals when my son was rushed to the ER and admitted for RSV. Shout out to all the parents going through this right now.”
Schumer then thanked the cast and crew of SNL for their flexibility as she managed her son’s illness on top of the responsibilities she had preparing to host the show. “I got to be with him the whole day at the hospital and the beautiful humans at @nbcsnl couldn’t have been more supportive,” she said, adding that Gene is now “home and better.”
[From People]
As a reminder, RSV causes wheezing and heavy mucus in children, but it becomes a serious issue when their oxygen levels drop. And that’s when they need to go to the hospital. It’s a scary experience for everyone, especially right after we saw over 1 million Americans die of a respiratory virus during the last three years. My heart goes out to Amy and husband Chris Fisher watching Gene go through this. It’s such a helpless feeling when someone you love is suffering and there is nothing you can do to help them. I’m glad to hear SNL made it easy for her. I can only imagine the gamut of emotions Amy and Chris must have gone through.
Just to reiterate, RSV can be life-threatening to anyone. Kids five and under are most vulnerable for contracting the virus and being hospitalized. The next largest group at risk are adults over 65 who have a very high risk of death. And there is no vaccine. So keep sickies at home, wear masks and get the flu shot because the flu can exacerbate RSV symptoms.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkoBBA3Ou-S/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj4QOjHuUru/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ceukpyau0Es/
Photo credit: Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon and Instagram
Source: Read Full Article
