Protect Yourself From Respiratory Syncytial Virus By Getting Vaccinated
What is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)?
Respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that typically causes cold-like symptoms. Although most people who catch RSV start to feel better within a couple of weeks, it can be a serious virus, particularly for older adults and infants.
Like influenza, RSV typically follows a seasonal pattern of transmission, with most transmissions happening during the colder winter months. The RSV incubation period is between two and eight days.
RSV can spread quickly between humans and is transmitted through respiratory droplets, such as sneezes and coughs, so it is important to cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing. It can be helpful to remember the COVID-19 campaign slogan ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ in order to keep others around you safe.
How Common is RSV and What Are the Dangers?
RSV is a common respiratory virus and most people in the UK will have caught it by the age of two. However, it can be serious and it is actually the primary cause of infant bronchiolitis.
As we only develop partial protection from RSV reinfection, it is possible to be repeatedly infected with the same or a different strain of RSV. Current research indicates that there are around 1,200 deaths per year from RSV in people aged between 25 and 75, and these figures increase considerably to 4,000 deaths per year in people over the age of 75.
RSV Vaccinations for People Aged 60+
It is possible to protect yourself from RSV with a simple vaccine if you are aged 60+. To find out if the vaccine is suitable for you, drop into your nearest branch to speak with one of our pharmacists.
RSV Vaccination for Pregnant Women
Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, Abrysvo is now available from us as a private vaccination.
This is the first and only RSV vaccine approved for pregnant women to help lower their babies’ risk of RSV from birth to 6 months.
Maternal immunisation refers to the process of vaccinating a pregnant woman so protective antibodies can be passed to the baby through the placenta before birth.
Get vaccinated during weeks 28 through 36 of your pregnancy (i.e., 32 weeks and zero days’ through 36 weeks and 6 days’ gestation) so you can pass RSV protection to your baby. If possible, give two weeks interval between the whooping cough and RSV vaccinations.
This vaccine is fully authorised in the UK (see the official insert below). The NHS is likely to start a national maternal and/or infant RSV vaccination programme(s) in autumn 2024 or later, however there is no fixed plan yet (see JCVI minutes from June 2023).
- Nearly 50% of all RSV hospitalisations during the first year occur during the first 3 months of life.
- 75-80% of hospitalisations due to RSV happened during the first 6 months of life.
- Abrysvo significantly reduced the risk of severe RSV in infants up to 6 months.
Currently, there is no RSV vaccination available which can be given to children, for routine NHS or private use.
See the UK official insert of this vaccine here: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.15309.pdf
