Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine
Advised by the JCVI the NHS have launched a new vaccination campaign for RSV. From the 1st September 2024, those aged 75 to 79 years and those turning 80 years of age between 2 September 2024 and 31 August 2025 (DOB between 2 September 1944 and 31 August 1945) and pregnant ladies at least 28 weeks will be eligible for a free vaccine to protect them from RSV.
RSV Vaccination Clinics
Your GP practice will be running RSV vaccination clinics on two Mondays in December at the Civic Hall, Ellesmere Port, please see below for more information:
- Monday 9th December | 9am to 2pm
- Monday 16th December | 9am to 2pm
Both clinics are walk-in, no appointment needed.
What is RSV?
RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. The RSV infection often causes symptoms similar to a cold, including:
- cough
- sore throat
- sneezing
- a runny or blocked nose
It can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves. However, each year thousands of older adults and young infants need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die. RSV can be more severe in people with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system.
RSV infection is common in young children but is most serious for small babies and for older people.
In babies, RSV is a common cause of a type of chest infection called bronchiolitis. This can cause breathing problems and may need to be treated in hospital.
RSV can also cause a serious lung infection (pneumonia) in babies and older adults.
For a more detailed explanation of RSV and the vaccine:
Hundreds of North West babies play part in trial which shows infant admissions to hospital with winter virus drop by over 80%
Over 500 babies in the North West have played their part in a groundbreaking NIHR-supported study which has found that a single dose of a treatment for a respiratory infection in infants can help cut hospital admissions by more than 80%.
RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in all infants worldwide and affects 90% of children before the age of two.
It is estimated that among children in the UK, RSV accounts for around 450,000 GP consultations, 29,000 hospitalisations and 20 to 30 deaths per year, the majority occurring in babies.
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Please do not miss this opportunity to protect yourself or your baby from RSV.