RSV Vaccination Programme

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is a group of experts in the UK that advises the Government on vaccines and immunisation. In September 2023, the JCVI recommended developing an RSV immunisation programme for infants and older adults (aged 75+). In 2026, the programme has recently been extended to adults aged 65+ who are deemed to be at risk due to chronic respiratory conditions (see below).

The RSV programme is a new programme that will protect thousands of infants and older people from serious illness each winter, keeping more people out of hospital and from needing to see a GP.

What is RSV?

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common winter virus, which almost all children have had by the time they are two years old. It is common for older children and adults to have the virus again.

For most people, RSV causes a mild illness, such as a cough or cold. However, babies under one year of age and older adults are at risk of becoming very unwell. Sometimes, people who get ill from RSV infection need to go to hospital. RSV can be more dangerous for some people, especially those with certain health conditions. It may even cause death.

Illness due to RSV has a big impact on the NHS during winter months. In the UK, around 33,500 children under the age of five end up in hospital because of the virus. The number of people going to hospital because of RSV has increased in the last 20 years.

Why have an RSV vaccination programme?

The vaccination could save 1,000 young children every year in Wales from going to hospital and could save the lives of over 100 older people each year.

The RSV programme is a new programme that will protect thousands of infants and older people from serious illness each winter, keeping more people out of hospital and from needing to see a GP.

There are now safe and effective vaccines available and it has been recommended that an RSV immunisation programme be planned across all nations of the UK.

Programme for pregnant women

RSV can make newborn babies and infants very unwell. Babies can develop severe lung problems, such as bronchiolitis (swelling of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia (swelling of the air sacs in the lungs). Babies with bronchiolitis or pneumonia may need to go to hospital to help them get better.

RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in infants. Bronchiolitis can make it hard for young children to breathe, especially in:

babies born early (at 35 weeks or earlier)
babies with certain heart or lung problems, or
babies who have severe problems with their immune systems.

Is the RSV vaccine safe in pregnancy?

All medicines (including vaccines) are tested for safety and effectiveness before they are allowed to be used. Once they are in use, their safety continues to be monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

There is no evidence of risks to your pregnancy from this type of vaccine. The RSV vaccine is not a live vaccine, so it cannot cause RSV in women or their babies. The RSV vaccine is the safest and most effective way to help protect your unborn baby from RSV.

How does getting vaccinated during pregnancy protect my baby?

The protection you get from the vaccine will pass to your baby through the placenta. The placenta is on the inside of your womb and links your blood supply with your unborn baby.

The vaccine will help protect your baby in the first few months of life when they are most vulnerable.

The vaccine also helps to prevent pregnant women from getting RSV and lowers the risk of them passing it on to their baby.

Programme for older adults

In older adults, RSV can cause severe breathing problems, particularly in those who are frail or have other health conditions. For a small number of people who are at risk of more severe respiratory disease, RSV infection might cause pneumonia (infection of the lungs) or even death.

Is the RSV vaccine safe for older adults?

The RSV vaccine has passed strict safety standards for use in the UK and has been shown to be very safe. As with all vaccines, any reports of side effects are closely monitored and reviewed.

The local healthboard plan to begin delivery of the vaccine in September, for more information, please head to Public Health Wales: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination information - Public Health Wales (nhs.wales)

Programme for adults at risk

The RSV vaccination programme continues to be offered to everyone turning 75 years old, and if you're eligible but haven't yet had your vaccine, it's not too late—please contact the practice to arrange it.

From 1 September 2026, the programme is expanding to include people aged 65–74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV infection due to certain underlying health conditions, including:
✔️ Immunosuppression
✔️ Those who have chronic respiratory disease, including those with:

o poorly controlled asthma

o chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

o bronchiectasis o cystic fibrosis

o interstitial lung fibrosis

o pneumoconiosis

o bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Eligible patients will be contacted directly by Public Health Wales to attend an appointment at their local Mass Vaccination Centre . If you're unsure whether you qualify, please get in touch with the Health Protection & Immunisation Team on 02921 841234.

The RSV vaccine helps protect against serious respiratory illness and can reduce the risk of complications, particularly for those most at risk.

How the RSV vaccine is given

The RSV vaccine is given as an injection into your upper arm.

Unlike some vaccines (such as flu or COVID-19 vaccines), the RSV vaccine is given all year round.

If you're pregnant, you should have the vaccine during every pregnancy. This will help make sure each baby is protected for the first 6 months after they're born, when they're most likely to get seriously ill if they get RSV.

Older adults only need 1 dose, which should protect them for several years.

Having the RSV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines

If you're pregnant, you can have the RSV vaccine at the same time as other pregnancy vaccines, such as the whooping cough and flu vaccines.

But it's best to have them as soon as they're offered rather than waiting to have them at the same time.

The RSV vaccine is not usually given at the same appointment as flu vaccines in older adults, but you can have them at the same time if a doctor or nurse thinks it's needed.

You can have it at the same time as other vaccines, such as the COVID-19, shingles and pneumococcal vaccines.