Respiratory Syncytial Virus was first identified in 1956. It causes a significant respiratory illness in infants and the elderly.
Many parents have experience seeing their babies suffer with prolonged coughing and wheezing with bronchiolitis caused by RSV. I have sent many babies to hospital with respiratory distress and dehydration. The RSV vaccine is now in the pregnancy immunisation schedule to help protects the newborn. The immunisation is given at 28 to 36 weeks. And was introduce in February 2025.
In 2025, Australia saw a total of 78,000 RSV notifications for young children, a nearly 10% decrease from the 86,000 cases reported in 2024. This decline is largely attributed to the success of new national immunisation programs launched early in the 2025.
There are many grandparents who are part time carers for their grand children, and this puts them at risk of catching RSV. Elderly Australians are more likely to have prolonged hospitalisations and death. There were 393 deaths in the over 60 age group in 2025. There is higher risk of significant illness in those with asthma chronic air ways disease heart disease.
The RSV vaccine is expensive at $300. Many of my elderly patients at risk have been paying for this vaccine. Yesterday evening it was announced by the Federal Health Minister that the vaccine will now be funded for the most at risk groups. Those over 75-year-old and Aboriginal communities over 60 years old.
Encourage your relatives over 75 to ask their GP about the RSV vaccine. The roll out will be the 15th of May this year. It is an effective vaccine to prevent serious disease.
