RSV Vaccine for older adults Posted or Updated on 27 Aug 2024

From the 1st September we will be inviting elibile patients for an RSV vaccination.

What is RSV?

RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. 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. Every year thousands of older adults 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.

Who is eligible for the RSV vaccine?

Everyone turning 75 years old on or after the 1 September 2024 will be offered a single dose of RSV vaccine. This is because older adults are more at risk of serious complications from RSV.

Those turning 80 years old between 2/9/2024 - 31/08/2025.

The vaccine will also be offered to those who are already aged 75 to 79 years on 1 September 2024 as part of a catch up programme.

If you are not yet 75 the NHS will invite you for vaccination once you turn 75.

We have large numbers of eligible patients and cant invite them all at once.  Therefore, over the coming months, ALL patients will receive a text or letter asking them to book an appointment, but please dont contact the surgery to book your RSV vaccine until you have been invited to do so.

For further information please visit: Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Here is a useful video about RSV: