Washington, D.C., Oct. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Minority Quality Forum Launches “Protect From Day One” RSV Campaign Featuring Keke Palmer
As ERs now manage nearly half of RSV encounters in children under 2, campaign urges parents to plan before birth.
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 1, 2026 — The National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) today announced the launch of Protect From Day One, a national education campaign featuring an interview with actress, entrepreneur and mother Keke Palmer and designed to help expecting parents understand respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), discuss prevention options with their health care providers and make a plan to protect their baby before delivery.
The campaign launches during RSV Awareness Month as new research underscores the continuing burden RSV places on families and the health care system. An April 2026 Epic Research analysis found that emergency departments are managing a growing share of RSV encounters. Among children under age 2, emergency department visits increased from 31.2% of RSV encounters in January 2017 to 47.6% in January 2026. While hospital and ICU utilization has declined, the findings reinforce the importance of prevention and helping families act before RSV becomes an emergency.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious illness in infants. Each year in the United States, an estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children younger than age 5 are hospitalized because of RSV, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Infants are particularly vulnerable during their first RSV season. RSV does not affect all families equally: CDC data have found RSV-associated ICU admission rates among non-Hispanic Black infants under 6 months were 1.2 to 1.6 times higher than among non-Hispanic White infants across multiple seasons.
Families now have options that can help protect babies from severe RSV illness, including vaccination during pregnancy and long-acting antibodies given to infants. However, families may experience differences in when they receive information, whether preventive options are readily available and whether protection occurs during the critical period around delivery and the first weeks of life. Protect From Day One is designed to help close that gap by moving the RSV conversation into prenatal care—before a baby arrives.
“Having effective prevention options is only part of the equation. Families also need timely information, access and a clear plan for how their baby will be protected,” said Adjoa Kyerematen, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at NMQF. “When nearly half of RSV encounters among children under two are now being managed in emergency departments, that should be a warning that we cannot wait until a child becomes sick to start the conversation. We want families talking about RSV before delivery and leaving the hospital with a plan.”
On October 8th as part of its Protect from Day One campaign, NMQF will release an exclusive interview with Keke Palmer, mother of three year old Leodis “Leo” Andrellton Jackson on its leading health news platform - ForYourHealth.News. The conversation will cover motherhood, RSV awareness and why preparing for a baby’s health should begin before birth.
Ask Before Day One
“What is our plan to protect my baby from RSV?”
At ProtectFromDayOne.org, expecting parents and families can find practical resources to help them prepare for RSV conversations with their health care providers, including:
- The Before-Baby RSV Guide to prepare for prenatal conversations
- An RSV Protection Plan to help families understand what needs to happen before and after delivery
- A Provider Conversation Checklist with key questions about timing, eligibility and next steps
- A simple RSV Prevention Explainer outlining the protection options available for infants
Through patient education, trusted community voices, clinicians and maternal health partners, NMQF will educate families move from simply hearing about RSV to knowing what they can do about it during RSV season which typically sees an increase in cases from October through March.
“Families don’t need to become RSV experts,” said Kyerematen. “They need clear information, an opportunity to ask questions and a health care provider who can help them decide what makes sense for their baby. That is the conversation we want to make easier.”
National Minority Quality Forum
The National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF) is a research and educational organization dedicated to ensuring that high-risk racial and ethnic populations and communities receive optimal health care. NMQF integrates data, research, policy, education and community engagement to address health disparities and improve health outcomes for populations across the United States.
For more information, visit NMQF.org.
Attachments
Adjoa Kyerematen National Minority Quality Forum 9192601076 akyerematen@nmqf.org
