The NHS in Gloucestershire will be rolling out a new vaccination programme from 1 September, to protect those most vulnerable from RSV.
Adults aged 75 and pregnant women will be eligible for the vaccine. There will also be an initial ‘catch-up’ campaign for adults already aged 75 up to age 79.
All adults currently aged 75 to 79 will be invited to book a vaccination by local GP services in the weeks following 1 September 2024.
Pregnant women will be able to get the vaccine via a midwife from 28-36 weeks pregnancy.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that that can cause serious lung infections. However, despite infecting around 90% of children within the first 2 years of life, it’s not a virus that many people are aware of.
While RSV infection can occur at any age, the risk of RSV and its complications are increased in older adults and babies, which is why the vaccine is being offered to adults when they reach the age of 75, and to pregnant women. Additionally, those already aged 75-79 years old before the vaccine became available on 1 September will be offered the chance to ‘catch up’.
Dr Hein Le Roux, GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer, NHS Gloucestershire said:
“RSV is a common seasonal winter virus which can cause colds, coughs and mild respiratory infection in adults and children.
Most infections get better by themselves, but RSV can cause severe illness in some people, including pneumonia (infection of the lungs), bronchiolitis (a common chest infection that affects babies and children under 2) and other life-threatening conditions.
The NHS in Gloucestershire is now offering the RSV vaccine to those most vulnerable to the virus. If you’re eligible, it’s important to take up the offer as soon as you’re invited to reduce your risk of becoming seriously unwell.”
Professor Mark Pietroni, Medical Director at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“RSV is one of the main causes of winter pressure on our children’s wards each year, and we know that nationally it accounts for approximately 20,000 hospitalisations in children under the age of one every year.
Having the vaccine during pregnancy is the best way to protect your baby against RSV, as the vaccine boosts your immune system to produce more antibodies against the virus, and these then pass through the placenta to help protect your baby from the day they are born.
Your midwife will be happy to have a chat with you about the vaccines recommended to women during pregnancy, including RSV, at your antenatal appointment.”
How to access the RSV vaccine for older adults aged 75 to 79
All adults currently aged 75 to 79 will be invited to book a vaccination by local GP services in the weeks following 1 September 2024. You do not need to contact your GP practice at this time.
Following the initial ‘catch-up’ campaign for those who are already 75, all adults will be invited for a single dose of the RSV vaccination on or after their 75th birthday.
As part of the routine programme, people will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday.
How to access the RSV vaccine for pregnant women to protect infants
Pregnant women will be eligible for a single dose of the RSV vaccine from the 28th-36th week of their pregnancy. Your midwife will speak to you about booking in the RSV vaccination at your antenatal appointment, in addition to the other vaccines you’re eligible for when pregnant, including whooping cough, flu and COVID-19.