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National RSV Education Campaign Has Launched

Expectant parents can now access new resources to build a protection plan for their infants before birth.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Babies

Bold vector editorial illustration of a folded baby onesie on a soft blanket, representing parental preparation and infant health resources.
The National Minority Quality Forum launched the Protect From Day One campaign, providing new educational resources to help parents build infant RSV prevention plans. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you feel prepared to discuss RSV prevention options with your pediatrician before your baby arrives?

The National Minority Quality Forum has introduced the Protect From Day One campaign to help families navigate RSV prevention. This national initiative offers educational tools to address rising emergency department visits for infants.

Why it matters

Rising emergency department encounters for RSV in children under age 2 prompted this effort to help parents establish a formal protection plan. The campaign focuses on providing actionable information to families before their child is born to improve health outcomes.

Emergency department visits for RSV among children under age 2 grew to 47.6% in January 2026 compared to 31.2% in January 2017. Nationally, 58,000 to 80,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized annually due to RSV.

The players

National Minority Quality Forum

An organization focused on reducing health disparities and improving the quality of care for diverse populations.

Keke Palmer

An actress and performer who is participating in the campaign to share RSV awareness.

The details

The campaign utilizes patient education and community partnerships to distribute an RSV protection plan, a provider conversation checklist, and a prevention explainer. It aims to reduce disparities, noting that RSV-associated ICU admission rates for non-Hispanic Black infants under 6 months are 1.2 to 1.6 times higher than for non-Hispanic White infants. Families can use these tools to prepare for the peak season, which typically runs from October through March.

Timeline

  1. January 2017: Emergency department RSV encounters were 31.2% for children under 2.

  2. January 2026: Emergency department RSV encounters rose to 47.6% for children under 2.

  3. October 1, 2026: The National Minority Quality Forum announced the campaign launch.

  4. October 8, 2026: The organization will release an exclusive interview with Keke Palmer.

  5. October through March: RSV cases typically increase during this season.

The Home Front

This campaign responds to a decade-long upward trend in pediatric emergency room visits for respiratory infections. It follows documented data showing that RSV-associated ICU admissions remain higher for certain demographic groups in the United States.

Expectant parents should download the official protection plan and prevention explainer to review with their pediatrician. Use the provided checklist to prepare questions for your next prenatal or wellness visit before the height of the RSV season.

The takeaway

Creating an RSV protection plan before your child is born is a proactive step to manage infant health during the winter months. Take time to visit the campaign website to print the provider conversation checklist before your next pediatric appointment.

Further reading

Find more resources for your growing family in our Babies section.

More information

Access the complete set of expecting parent RSV educational resources online.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.

Live Poll

Do you feel prepared to discuss RSV prevention options with your pediatrician before your baby arrives?