Olsten Advises That High-Risk Children be Protected Against RSV-Related Infections Prior to Respiratory Virus Season.

MELVILLE, New York--(BW HealthWire)--October 14, 1999--

Olsten Health Services, North America's largest home healthcare company and a subsidiary of Olsten Corporation (NYSE:OLS), is urging parents of high-risk children to talk to their doctor about providing protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection during the virus' peak "season" (October through April). Severe RSV disease is most likely to occur in premature infants or children with chronic lung problems.

According to medical research, RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, including childhood incidences of bronchiolitis (an infection of the small breathing tubes in the lungs) and pneumonia. In the U.S., over 90,000 children per year are hospitalized, and 4,500 die from RSV-related illnesses.

"While healthy babies with adequate immune systems might get no more then a chest cold from RSV, those born prematurely, or those with underlying lung diseases like bronchopulmonary displasia (BPD) are at risk for severe RSV disease," said Ralph Woods, vice president of corporate development for Olsten Health Services. "Treatment with Synagis(R) (Palivizumab) can help prevent the onset of the serious diseases associated with the virus that can be very dangerous, even deadly, to these high-risk children."

Synagis(R), the first monoclonal antibody to be licensed for any infectious disease, received FDA approval in June 1998 for the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in pediatric patients at high risk of RSV (full prescribing information is available at www.medimmune.com/products/synagispi.htm). It is marketed by MedImmune, Inc. Since 1997, Olsten has been a managed care partner with MedImmune, Inc. Olsten's program, which serves patients, physicians and payors, offers options for administering Synagis(R) in the patient's home or the physician's office. In addition, Olsten accepts assignment of benefits, and works with the physician and family to ensure that insurance coverage is appropriately managed. For more information about Olsten's programs, call 1-800-HOME NOW.

Concerned parents may also obtain more information about RSV at MedImmune's Web site dedicated to the topic, www.rsvprotection.com, at MedImmune's corporate Web site, www.medimmune.com, or by calling the MedImmune Customer Support Network at 1-877-633-4411. The Network is open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., EST, with 24-hour emergency service available.

MedImmune (Nasdaq: MEDI), located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, a biotechnology company focused on developing and marketing products that address medical needs in areas such as infectious disease, transplantation medicine, autoimmune disorders and cancer. MedImmune markets three products through its hospital-based sales force and has five new product candidates in clinical trials.

Olsten Corporation (NYSE:OLS), with 1,500 offices on three continents, is a world leader in staffing services, a significant provider of information technology services and North America's largest provider of home healthcare and related services. Olsten Health Services, with more than 400 offices in the United States and Canada, provides healthcare Network Management Services and caregivers for home healthcare, home infusion and other therapies, and marketing and distribution solutions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device firms. The Company operates more than 1,000 staffing offices - providing staffing solutions and assignment employees to business, industry and government - in North America, Latin America and Europe under Olsten Staffing Services and related brands. Olsten's information technology division, IMI Systems, provides design, programming and maintenance of computer systems, including focused solutions for applications management, e-commerce, quality assurance and enterprise support services to clients in North America and Western Europe.

In 1998, Olsten Corporation achieved revenues of $4.6 billion and employed approximately 700,000 people serving approximately 600,000 client/patient accounts.