Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccine

Recommended for adults aged 75 to 79, and for pregnant women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to help protect their baby in the first months after birth.

The course consists of one dose.

No routine boosters are required after the initial dose.

An injection in the upper arm.

Side effects can include soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, and muscle pain.

The vaccine is not given to children. It is offered to eligible adults, and to pregnant women to help protect their newborn baby.

Those with a current fever or acute illness should wait until they have recovered before vaccination. Let your pharmacist know if you have any allergies or a weakened immune system.

RSV usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms, but in older adults and infants it can lead to more serious illness such as bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and hospitalisation.