RSV Vaccination
About RSV
The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common virus that can make babies and older adults seriously ill. It is recommended during pregnancy and for adults aged 75 to 79.
The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is a common cause of coughs and colds. Most people get it several times during their life.
It usually gets better by itself, but in some people (especially babies and older adults) it can cause illnesses such as:
- pneumonia (a lung infection)
- bronchiolitis (a chest infection that affects babies)
These illnesses can cause serious breathing problems. They may need to be treated in hospital and can be life-threatening.
Getting RSV can also make your symptoms worse if you have a lung condition, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).
The RSV vaccine helps reduce the risk of serious breathing problems like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
Symptoms
Symptoms of an RSV infection usually start within a few days of getting infected.
Most people only get cold-like symptoms, such as:
- a runny or blocked nose
- a cough
- sneezing
- tiredness
- a high temperature – signs include your back or chest feeling hotter than usual, sweatiness and shivering (chills)
Babies with RSV may also be irritable and feed less than usual.
If RSV leads to a more serious infection (such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis) it may also cause:
- a cough that gets worse
- shortness of breath
- faster breathing or long gaps between breaths
- difficulty feeding (in babies) or loss of appetite
- noisy breathing (wheezing)
- confusion (in older adults).
Prevention
RSV is spread in the coughs and sneezes of someone who has the virus.
There are some things you can do to reduce your chances of getting it or spreading it to anyone else, such as:
- wash or wipe down toys and clean surfaces regularly
- try to avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean
- use disposable tissues and throw them away as soon as you’ve used them
- try to keep newborn babies away from anyone with a cold or the flu – especially if they were born prematurely or have serious health conditions.
RSV Vaccination
The NHS will provide the vaccine for pregnant women and people aged 75 to 79 years.
If you’re 28 weeks pregnant or more, you can speak to your maternity service or GP surgery about getting vaccinated.
There is now a vaccine (Abrysvo) that has been licenced to protect against RSV in adults who are aged 60 or over. It is an inactivated vaccine (non-live). There are very few individuals who cannot receive Abrysvo. This vaccine is available privately to those who are not eligible for the NHS programme.