RSV Vaccine - All You Need to Know

Information on the free RSV vaccine

From 1st September we will be offering the RSV vaccine to all eligible patients. This will include those age 75 up to age 79 on or after the 1st September 2024. The vaccine will be offered to pregnant women by their midwives.

What is RSV?

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 and 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.

RSV infection is common but is most serious for small babies and older people.

How does the vaccine work?

A single dose of the vaccine will help boost protection as you reach an age group at highest risk of serious RSV infection, and should provide protection for at least 2 years, if not longer.

Pregnant women are being offered the vaccine to protect their babies from RSV.

Will I get any side effects?

You may get some soreness, redness or swelling at the site of the injection for a day or two after the vaccination. A nervous system weakness following vaccination is a much rarer side effect. The same condition can also occur after a number of common infections and some vaccines but overall it is safer to have the vaccine than to risk having the potentially serious RSV infection.

What should I do now?

We will be inviting you to have the vaccination once you turn 75 or if you are already aged 75 - 79. The RSV vaccine will only be offered at the same time as the flu and covid vaccines, in exceptional circumstances.

For more information please read the patient leaflet linked below.