The elderly and pregnant women in Greater Manchester are being urged to get a new vaccination in September. NHS Greater Manchester is calling on every eligible person in the region to get the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine. The RSV vaccine will be available from September 1 as part of a national year-round programme.
The free vaccine will be offered to pregnant women and elderly adults in Greater Manchester. The vaccine is already licensed for use as a maternal vaccination in the United States, with more than 100,000 doses given to pregnant women since September 2023. The aim of the RSV vaccination programme is to protect the most vulnerable against the virus.
Dr Helen Wall, clinical director for population health at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: "Many people may not know about RSV, but it is a very serious illness – infecting up to 90 per cent of children by the age of two and causing thousands of babies and older people to spend time in hospital over winter. "That’s why it is so important for everyone who is eligible to make sure they get their jab when it becomes available from September and beyond. "By simply getting this single vaccination, it will prevent older people from becoming seriously ill and pregnant women will help protect the lives of their unborn babies.
" The virus can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia, which require hospitalisation and even intensive care in severe cases. Those eligible for the year-round ongoing rollout include pregnant women over 28 weeks, those turning 75 on or after September 1, 2024, and a one-off catch-up campaign for anyone aged 75-79 years old who will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday. Pregnant women over 28 weeks will be offered the RSV vaccination by the maternity service they are receiving antenatal care from, but they can also request it from their GP practice.
For older people, it will be available from their GP. For more information about RSV and the vaccine, visit the NHS website..
