Lakers great Magic Johnson raising awareness for RSV

Lakers legend Magic Johnson speaks at the Crenshaw Family YMCA on Tuesday.

Staff Writer

Oct. 17, 2023 5:09 PM PT

Magic Johnson paced the basketball court at the Crenshaw Family YMCA on Tuesday, holding a microphone instead of a ball as the Lakers legend addressed the audience about the importance of maintaining good health.

Johnson had teamed up with pharmarceutical company GSK to talk about respiratory syncytial virus [RSV] at another of their “Sideline RSV” events.

He‘s a longtime advocate for health care and wanted to share with his community why it means so much to him.

“Dealing with HIV for 32 years, it’s important that I know everything about my health,” said Johnson, who announced to the world on Nov. 7, 1991, that he was HIV positive.

Johnson said joining the “Sideline RSV” campaign allowed him to educate the Black and brown communities about the effects of RSV, especially for adults 60 and older.

Magic Johnson speaks at the Crenshaw Family YMCA while standing in front of a "Sideline RSV" banner.

RSV can affect the lungs and breathing passages. It can include a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, headache and extreme tiredness.

Johnson said he was unaware of RSV until he was educated on the subject.

After speaking with the GSK team, Johnson decided he wanted to be involved and they formed a relationship.

“I was like, ‘Wow. I’m 64 and it affects me,’” Johnson said. “So, I knew a lot of people like myself when they explained RSV, I wasn’t educated on it. ... So, I knew I had to come into the community and educate people about RSV. Sometimes you can get a natural relationship that’s going to be meaningful, that’s going to help people. That’s been who I am my whole life. So, it’s worked for both of us. … People are really happy to hear about it, especially those that are 60 and older, who it affects.”

Dr. Len Friedland, who joined Johnson Tuesday and is vice president and director of Scientific Affairs and Public Health at GSK, told The Times that RSV is a type of virus that is similar to influenza or COVID.

“It’s another cold virus that affects people of all ages,” he said. “But the people who can get really sick with it are the very young and also people over the age of 60, especially older adults who have underlying respiratory problems like asthma, COPD and heart failure. This virus can be really serious. It can put you in the hospital and it can kill you as an adult. The good news is now we have a way to prevent it. The only way to prevent it is through a vaccine. This year for the first time, we have vaccination options for adults over the age 60. It’s a single dose.”

Friedland said about 175,000 adults age 65 and older in the United States are hospitalized annually because of RSV and about 14,000 die.

Magic Johnson, right, and Dr. Len Friedland speak about RSV to a gathering at the Crenshaw Family YMCA on Tuesday.

He said those that get RSV have to be “followed” to “make sure they get better.” He said most will improve as long as they hydrate and get rest. He said some might need “extra oxygen.”

Friedland said the best prevention for RSV is “through vaccination.” He said one should consult their doctor, health care provider or pharmacist.

“[RSV] typically starts as a cold, a sneeze, runny nose, cough, maybe some fever. But it can progress,” Friedland said. “That would be upper. If it gets lower, into our lungs, that’s when you start with the wheezing and pneumonia and really a need for extra oxygen, that’s for when people are short of breath, and that’s when they end up in the hospital. If they end up in the hospital, it can be really quite serious.”

Johnson did a Q&A with the crowd and took selfies with people after the event. He said the most important thing was to educate Black and brown communities about RSV.

“It’s always us, man. We’re the last ones to know. We have misinformation in our community,” he said. “I think it’s what’s the message, who is the messenger when it comes to our community. And I thought I wanted to get involved, get into the community, show up myself, ‘Hey, I’m in the same boat as you.’ I tell them, ‘Hey, I’m 64. Listen, I got to look out for it as well. [Johnson’s wife] Cookie got too look out for it as well.’ So, we had to educate ourselves about it as well. And I think that’s good, because also I connect with them that way. So, it’s really important that they get the right information and that there is a doctor sitting there.”

And, yes, as Johnson has traveled the country talking about RSV, many in the audience ask about his beloved Lakers. He said one person in Chicago had on “full Lakers gear, all the way from the shirt, the pants and shoes.”

“I mix that in as fun, right?” Johnson said. “When I first walked out in Scottsdale [Ariz.], everybody was standing and clapping and I said, ‘Man, you didn’t do that when I was playing against your Suns!’ I want to relax everybody and then once you relax everybody, then you can deliver the message and bring them in and then educate them.”

As for his Lakers, Johnson praised the job Rob Pelinka, the team’s vice president of basketball operations and general manager, did in assembling the team.

“I’m so proud of Rob. As I’ve been telling people, these Lakers are for real. And they are deep. I think the Lakers are looking good,” Johnson said. “Of course, we know Denver is going to be there. We know Phoenix is going to be there, Golden State is going to be there. I’m intrigued to see what Memphis ends up doing. We know the Clippers will be there. But I love what the Lakers have done.”

Lakers legend Magic Johnson on campaign trail for health education and RSV awareness

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