Practice News

Good news for our Welsh Patients - all prescriptions to now go EPS

Published on 5th Mar 2025

*** NEW RSV VACCINE ***

Published on 28th Aug 2024

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccination

Respiratory syncytial virus (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 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.

Who will be eligible for RSV vaccination from 1 September 2024?

Older Adults – Patients aged 75-79

All adults turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024 will be eligible for the routine programme and should be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine on or after their 75th birthday. A one-off catch-up campaign for those already aged 75 to 79 years old on 1 September 2024 should be undertaken at the earliest opportunity with the aim of completing the majority by 31 August 2025. The vaccine will be available throughout the year to eligible patients those who turn 75 or patients that were included in the catch up programme 75-79 years olds. 

Pregnant Women and People at 28 weeks gestation or later

All pregnant women and people who are at least 28 weeks pregnant (the eligible cohort) on 1 September 2024, should be offered a single dose of the RSV vaccine, through commissioned services. After that, pregnant women and people will become eligible as they reach 28 weeks gestation and remain eligible up to birth. The ideal opportunity to offer vaccination would be at the 28-week antenatal contact (ANC), following prior discussion at the 20-week ANC. Providers should aim to vaccinate those already eligible on 1 September as soon as possible.

Is RSV a seasonal vaccination?

No, patients can be immunised with RSV vaccine at any point in the year as soon as they reach an eligible age for adults (i.e. 75-79 years inclusive) or reach a gestation of 28 weeks (for pregnant women and people). RSV vaccination should continue to be offered year-round.

Why is this a single dose vaccination with no boosters?

The RSV vaccination schedule is a single dose of vaccine.

Currently the data is showing evidence that the protection lasts at least 2 years, more time is needed to establish if it protects for longer and that is part of the ongoing surveillance that supports the programme. This will then support decisions on if and when further doses may be required in the future. This would be a decision for JCVI.

Pregnant women should have the RSV vaccine in every pregnancy.

Why are we not offering the RSV vaccines to over 80’s?

The JCVI considered all available information when deciding which age cohorts would benefit most from receiving the RSV vaccine and advised accordingly.  This effectiveness of this vaccination programme will be monitored.

If you are eligible for the RSV vaccine you will receive an invitation from the surgery.

Published on 14th Aug 2024