Respiratory syncytial virus or RSV has been talked about a lot more recently. It’s one of the yearly viral infections that makes the rounds in cold weather. For most people it causes mild cold like symptoms but in infants, immunocompromised people, people with chronic health conditions and the elderly it can cause severe illness, leading to hospitalisation and even death. Thankfully, over the last few years we have had vaccines released specifically to target RSV and reduce the risk of illness for high risk people.

Because the vaccines are new, many eligible people aren’t aware of them. If you are over 60 with chronic health conditions or over 75 you should see your doctor to discuss whether getting an RSV vaccine is appropriate. The other important group who should be getting RSV vaccines are pregnant women, as the government currently funds an RSV vaccine between 28-26 weeks of pregnancy that will help newborns have immediate protection. RSV has been a leading cause of ICU admissions for infants but we have seen these numbers drop significantly since the vaccine was introduced. Some high risk newborns are recommended to have a dose at birth as well which should be discussed with your doctor.