Carle Health Urges RSV Protection for Newborns
A certified nurse-midwife advises families to take precautions around newborns during holiday gatherings this winter.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Babies
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Carle Health certified nurse-midwife Larisa Savage advised families to protect newborns from RSV during holiday gatherings. Respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of hospitalization for infants in the United States.
Why it matters
Pregnancy changes how the immune system responds to RSV, influenza and COVID-19, so winter illness exposure may not be countered with the same force. For Peoria families, the RSV vaccine can be received during pregnancy, before the baby arrives.
The guidance rests on clinical advice rather than quantified local figures, and RSV is named as the leading cause of infant hospitalization nationally. Local case counts for the Peoria area were not provided in the source.
The players
Carle Health
A Peoria-based health system that operates hospitals and clinics across central Illinois.
Larisa Savage
A certified nurse-midwife with Carle Health who advised families on protecting newborns during the holidays.
The details
Recommended precautions include handwashing, staying home when sick, and respecting parents' boundaries around newborns. Parents can also use a baby carrier during family gatherings to limit requests to hold the baby while still allowing visits.
Timeline
During pregnancy: pregnant women can receive the RSV vaccine before the baby arrives.
Winter cold and flu season: exposure risks to RSV, influenza and COVID-19 increase.
Holiday season: families gather and take precautions around newborns.
Health Landscape
RSV remains the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the United States, a burden that maternal vaccination during pregnancy is designed to reduce. This guidance places holiday precautions within that established public-health concern for newborns.
Pregnant women can ask their care provider about the RSV vaccine before the baby arrives to help protect the newborn. Families visiting a newborn over the holidays can wash hands, stay home when sick, and use a baby carrier to set boundaries on holding the baby.
The takeaway
Protecting a newborn during winter depends on simple, consistent habits from both parents and visitors. Pregnant women should discuss RSV vaccination with their provider early, and visitors should respect parents' wishes about holding the baby.
Further reading
For more on newborn care in the area, explore the Babies section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 25newsnow.
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