We are pleased to share our plans to offer a new RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine for 75-79 year olds and pregnant women.
From 1 September 2024, those who turn 75 and those age 75 to 79 will be eligible for a free vaccine to protect them from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. RSV infection often causes symptoms similar to a cold, including:
- cough
- sore throat
- sneezing
- a runny or blocked nose
It can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and in severe cases, lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves. Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die. RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system.
RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and for older people. More details are available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-vaccination-for-older-adults/your-guide-to-the-rsv-vaccine-for-older-adults
We will be contacting eligible patients to invite them to book an appointment for the RSV vaccine.
The JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) recommends the RSV vaccination isn’t normally given at the same appointment as your COVID-19, flu, shingles or pneumococcal vaccines.