RSV Vaccination

The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.

RSV is a common cause of coughs and colds. Most people get it several times during their life.

It usually gets better by itself, but in some people (especially babies and older adults) it can cause illnesses, such as:

• pneumonia (a lung infection)
• bronchiolitis (a chest infection that affects babies)

These illnesses can cause serious breathing problems. They may need to be treated in hospital and can be life-threatening.

Getting an RSV infection can also make your symptoms worse if you have a lung condition, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The RSV vaccine helps reduce the risk of serious breathing problems like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

You can get a free RSV vaccination on the NHS if:

• you’re 28 weeks pregnant or more – the vaccine is recommended during every pregnancy to help protect your baby after they’re born
• you’re aged 75 to 79
• you turned 80 years old after 1 September 2024

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.

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.

Most people who are eligible for the RSV vaccine can have it.

You only cannot have the vaccine if you’ve had a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to a previous dose of the vaccine or an ingredient in the vaccine.

The most common side effects of the RSV vaccine are mild and do not last long.

They can include:

• swelling or pain where the injection was given
• a headache
• an aching body

More serious side effects, such as a severe allergic reaction are very rare. The person who vaccinates you will be trained to deal with allergic reactions and treat them immediately.

Very rarely, older adults who’ve had the RSV vaccine may get Guillain-Barré syndrome (a condition that affects the nerves).

Symptoms can include tingling or numbness in your feet and hands, followed by muscle weakness and difficulty moving your joints.

But overall, it’s safer to have the vaccine than risk getting a potentially serious RSV infection.

Talk to your doctor or the person vaccinating you if you’re worried about side effects.

Studies have shown that having the vaccine during pregnancy is much safer than the risk of your baby getting RSV.

Many thousands of pregnant women have now had the RSV vaccine around the world.