Short answer: in adults, RSV usually starts like a cold, with a runny nose, sore throat, cough and headache, and typical symptoms last two to eight days. It spreads easily through close contact, and it can become severe, especially in people 65 and older, adults with chronic lung or heart disease, and people with a weakened immune system.
RSV can become severe for some people, but Lung.org describes it as mild and cold-like for most adults.
What are the symptoms of RSV in adults?
As of November 2026, Lung.org’s RSV in Adults page, last updated October 20, 2026, lists these as common RSV symptoms in adults:
| Symptom | What Lung.org says |
|---|---|
| Runny nose and congestion | Listed as a common symptom |
| Fever | Listed as a common symptom; a high fever is also an emergency sign |
| Cough | Listed as a common symptom |
| Wheezing | Listed as a common symptom |
| Sore throat | Listed as a common symptom |
| Headache | Named in its description of usual adult RSV illness |
Adults with RSV usually have mild, cold-like illness. For some people it progresses, and the page names pneumonia, bronchiolitis, worsening asthma or COPD, and congestive heart failure as possible complications.
Is RSV worse than a cold?
It can be. RSV usually begins with cold-like symptoms, but Lung.org says it can progress and cause hospitalization. Lung.org also says that as you age, your body loses some of its ability to fight infections, so it may take longer to recover from RSV. Check in with your clinician about any new or lingering symptoms.
When should you seek medical care?
Lung.org says to seek prompt medical attention for any of these:
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- High fever
- Bluish tint to your skin
- Dehydration
- Worsening symptoms
Is RSV contagious?
Yes. Lung.org says RSV spreads easily through close contact with an infected person, and that it spreads in the fall and winter along with other respiratory viruses. You can also get it more than once, even in the same year, because you do not develop complete immunity.
How long does RSV last in adults?
Lung.org says RSV symptoms typically last from two to eight days, though they can last longer, especially when they lead to other serious conditions.
What should you do if you think you have RSV?
Start with a call to your clinician, especially if you are in a higher-risk group. Lung.org notes that without a lab test to confirm RSV, it is typically lumped together with other respiratory infections that cause cold-like symptoms. Ask whether a test would change your care.
Until you have advice, the steps Lung.org lists are rest and fluids for mild symptoms, keeping up any prescribed asthma or COPD medicines (and asking your clinician if they need adjusting), watching for the warning signs above, and limiting spread through handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
How do you test for RSV as an adult?
The test that confirms RSV is a lab test, and Lung.org does not give a single test name or method for adults. Ask your clinician which test, if any, fits your symptoms. For another condition where testing is the open question, see fructose intolerance symptoms and testing.
Treatment for RSV in older adults
Lung.org says there is no specific treatment for RSV infection. Fluids and rest are its advice for mild symptoms. Its advice on who is at highest risk for severe illness is:
- Adults 75 and older
- Adults with chronic lung or heart disease
- Adults with a weakened immune system
- Adults with severe diabetes or severe obesity
- Adults living in nursing homes
In hospital, Lung.org says severe disease may be treated with IV fluids if you are dehydrated, supplemental oxygen to improve oxygen saturation, and antibiotics if a secondary infection such as bacterial pneumonia develops.
Treatment options side by side
Prices and coverage vary by clinic and plan, so ask your clinic or insurer what each step costs before you go.
| Option | What it is for | What the sources say | Who it suits | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluids and rest | Mild symptoms | Lung.org calls them the best advice for mild symptoms | Most adults with cold-like illness | Does not target the virus; watch for warning signs |
| Prescribed asthma or COPD medicines | Keeping breathing problems in check during RSV | Lung.org says to maintain use and speak with your clinician if they need adjusting | Adults already on these medicines | Ask your clinician before any change |
| Hospital care | Severe disease | IV fluids, supplemental oxygen, and antibiotics for a secondary infection, per Lung.org | Adults admitted for severe illness | Hospital setting |
| RSV vaccines | Lung.org says they are available to help prevent severe RSV in eligible adults | See the trial results below | Adults 75 and older, and adults 50 to 74 at high risk, per Lung.org | Protection duration is still being studied |
| Everyday prevention steps | Reducing spread | Handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and cleaner indoor air | Everyone | These limit spread; they are not a treatment |
Lung.org says there is no specific treatment for RSV infection, so if you ask about a medicine, bring your full list of current medicines to your clinician or pharmacist. Ask also whether any clinical trial is open to you.
Can RSV vaccines reduce severe illness? What the trials found
Three trials and one review are the most relevant research. The vaccine trials below enrolled adults 60 and older, so their results describe that group. The first two trials were funded by their vaccine makers (Pfizer and Moderna), per their abstracts.
| Study | Who was enrolled | Result | Side effects reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 RSVpreF vaccine trial (funded by Pfizer) | 34,284 adults 60 and older at interim analysis: 17,215 vaccine, 17,069 placebo | Vaccine efficacy 66.7% against RSV-associated lower respiratory illness with at least two symptoms, and 85.7% with at least three. That is about 1.19 vs 3.58 cases per 1,000 person-years. | Local reactions 12% vs 7%; systemic events 27% vs 26%; serious adverse events 2.3% in each group |
| 2023 mRNA-1345 vaccine trial (funded by Moderna) | 35,541 adults 60 and older: 17,793 vaccine, 17,748 placebo | Vaccine efficacy 83.7% against RSV-associated lower respiratory disease with at least two symptoms, and 82.4% with at least three; 68.4% against acute respiratory disease. Median follow-up was 112 days. | Local reactions 58.7% vs 16.2%; systemic reactions 47.7% vs 32.9%, mostly mild to moderate and transient |
| 2026 RSVpreF two-season follow-up | Adults 60 and older | Vaccine efficacy 88.9% and 77.8% against RSV-associated lower respiratory illness with at least three symptoms, at the end of seasons 1 and 2 | A consistent favorable safety profile over two seasons |
A 2025 systematic review of 24 studies, 14 of them randomized trials, found that Arexvy reduced RSV-related hospitalizations in older adults by 60 to 65%. It reported 58 to 63% efficacy for Abrysvo in older adults and 55 to 58% efficacy against RSV illness for mResvia. Local injection-site pain occurred in about 23 to 29%, systemic symptoms in 7 to 11%, and serious adverse events in under 1%. The review also says generalizability to underserved regions is limited and long-term effectiveness data are still emerging.
Lung.org says that if you have already had an RSV vaccine, you do not need another one at this time, but studies are being done to learn how long protection lasts, and that recommendation could change. Lung.org says you can generally receive an RSV vaccine with flu and COVID-19 vaccines, and that you should talk to your healthcare provider about your own recommendations.
Why do the hospitalization numbers differ?
Lung.org gives several figures on the same page: up to 180,000 older adults hospitalized each year in the United States, 60,000 to 160,000 hospitalizations among older adults each year, and more than 60,000 adults hospitalized each year. Read these as a rough range rather than an exact count. The same page says around 10,000 adults 65 and older die of RSV complications each year in the United States.
Home care: sleep, a humidifier and killing the virus
For sleep, Lung.org’s main advice for mild symptoms is fluids and rest. The NHS’s general sleep tips, which are not written for RSV, suggest a room that is quiet, dark and cool, avoiding large meals close to bedtime, limiting caffeine, and avoiding alcohol and nicotine 1 to 2 hours before bed. Read the full NHS tips to fall asleep faster.
Its advice is to limit spread through handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and cleaner indoor air, such as filtering air or bringing in fresh outside air. Ask your clinician whether a humidifier would help your cough before you use one.
Be careful with products that claim to treat RSV
Lung.org’s guidance describes vaccines and standard care, not supplements. For a sense of how regulators view disease claims on product websites, the FDA’s warning letter of November 5, 2020 to Quten Research Institute, read the FDA warning letter, says that website claims made Qunol Ultra CoQ10 and Qunol Extra Strength Turmeric drugs. Because they were intended for diseases, the letter said, the products needed FDA approval before being sold. That letter concerns those two products, not RSV, but it shows the standard FDA applies to claims about disease.
Questions to take to your clinician
- Do I need a test, and if so, which one?
- How long am I contagious, and when can I return to my usual activities?
- Do my symptoms get worse at night, and what should I do if they do?
- Would a humidifier help my cough?
- Do my asthma or COPD medicines need adjusting?
- Is an RSV vaccine right for me, and can I have it with my flu and COVID-19 vaccines?
- Is any clinical trial open to me?
For more on RSV in adults, see the Lung.org RSV guide.
Before you go: bring your current medicines, a note of when your symptoms started and whether they are getting better or worse, and the warning signs listed above.
