Mandy Moore with her 1-year-old daughter, Louise "Lou" Everett. Moore took preventative measures to protect her daughter against RSV after a scare with her sons in 2023.
Mandy Moore's sons, August "Gus" Harrison (4) and Oscar "Ozzie" Bennett (3), both contracted RSV at the same time in 2023. Her daughter Louise "Lou" Everett (1) received "Beyfortus," an RSV preventive antibody shot.
Mandy Moore with her 1-year-old daughter, Louise "Lou" Everett. Moore took preventative measures to protect her daughter against RSV after a scare with her sons in 2023.

When Mandy Moore’s children were diagnosed with RSV in 2023, she was “rattled.”

The “This Is Us” actress and her husband, singer Taylor Goldsmith, thought it was just a bad cold when both sons, August “Gus” and Oscar “Ozzie,” fell seriously ill at the same time.

“I knew they were quite sick, and it was scary,” she says over video chat on Nov. 10. “But figuring out that it was actually RSV, and having friends who’d had RSV and serious complications, it was pretty jarring.”

Though her sons were not hospitalized, Moore knows the situation could have been worse.

The situation stuck with her, and while she was pregnant with their daughter, Louise “Lou,” in 2024, she decided she wanted to be proactive. She learned about Beyfortus (nirsevimab), a preventive non-vaccine antibody shot, from her trusted pediatrician, Dr. Daniel Bruckner, with whom she has now joined forces to ensure that no parents face serious consequences from RSV infections.

Beyfortus was approved by the FDA in July 2023 and was made available in the United States for the 2023-2024 RSV season. Per its website, the CDC currently recommends either giving an RSV vaccine to the mother during pregnancy or an RSV immunization to infants, another preventive tool that was FDA-approved in 2023. Most infants do not need both, according to the agency’s website.

Neither option was available during Moore's first two pregnancies. When she was pregnant with Lou, she talked to her OBGYN and they decided that she would wait to give Beyfortus to Lou once she was born, so Lou could get the antibodies directly.

“Just knowing that I had that option that I didn’t have (for) the boys was a huge relief, and something that I just felt incredibly grateful to have," Moore says.

RSV is common and sometimes dangerous. Here's what to know

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common and easily spread virus that peaks during colder months. While most cases are mild, severity is unpredictable.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2% to 3% of infants under 6 months are hospitalized with RSV every year. Those who are hospitalized may require oxygen, IV fluids and mechanical ventilation.

Lou was born at the end of September, and on Oct. 1, Moore was “the first person” at Bruckner’s office to the antibody shot for her daughter.

“The immediate relief of knowing that I could help better protect her going into RSV season was one thing off of my plate as a parent with a newborn,” Moore says.

The side effects of Beyfortus are minimal and may include a rash, pain or swelling at the injection site, according to Bruckner.

Research continues to show that vaccines are safe and effective. Still, if parents are hesitant, Bruckner explains that this isn't a vaccine but an antibody injection, which has gotten more parents on board. It's all about "communication, teaching, and hearing their concerns," he says.

Bruckner has seen remarkable results in his own practice since offering Beyfortus. He used to hospitalize multiple patients each winter for RSV; for the last two seasons, he has had zero hospitalizations. A July 2025 study published in Pediatrics included 31,900 infants and reported that Beyfortus reduced hospital and doctor visits for RSV disease in babies by 87%.

Parenting can make you feel ‘powerless'

As a parent of young children, Moore has had to “surrender to the fact” that they will get sick. As kids enter daycare or preschool, they’re venturing out not only into the world but are also exposed to all kinds of germs.

“Parenting is just innately vulnerable,” she says. “You just feel powerless at times.”

Knowing she could protect Lou with an antibody shot helped take some stress off Moore's plate, but trusting her provider to weigh these options together was equally important to her.

Her advice to other parents? Make sure you love your doctor.

“That’s never going to steer you wrong," she says.

Moore has become a 'football girly' ahead of the holiday season

The holiday season is just around the corner, and Moore is looking forward to a sense of "togetherness" after a "crazy year."

Moore spent the year working on "The Land," a Hulu drama from Dan Fogelman, the same creator as "This Is Us." She'll star alongside “Law & Order: Organized Crime” actor Christopher Meloni as the daughter of an NFL team owner. The show is still in production with no official release date announced.

"I had to learn a lot about football," she shares. "I was not a football girly before. This is like a whole new world."

Just in time for Thanksgiving, she has a new understanding of football fans' obsession with the sport, calling it "entertainment in its purest form."

The show shoots in LA, which has allowed her to spend time with her family.

"I get to do what I love to do, and then be home with my family at the end of the day, sleep in my bed and take my kids to school," she says. "It's just like an absolute dream, and I'm very grateful."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mandy Moore was 'rattled' by her sons' RSV infections. Now, she knows how to fight back.

Reporting by Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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