From September we will be holding clinics for the RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) vaccine.
What is RSV?
RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. It can make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life threating conditions. There is no specific treatment and most infections will get better themselves. Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV.
If you turn 75 years of age on or after the 1st September 2024 or are already aged 75-79 years old on 1st September 2024 you will receive a booking link to make an appointment. Alternatively, you can contact the surgery to book in for your RSV vaccine.
Patients who are housebound or in care homes will be contacted separately.
More information is available at:
Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
PREGNANT LADIES
From 1 September 2024, pregnant women can have a free vaccine in each pregnancy, to protect their babies against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is a common virus which can cause a lung infection called bronchiolitis. In small babies this condition can make it hard to breathe and to feed. Most cases can be managed at home but around 20,000 infants are admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis each year in England. Infants with severe bronchiolitis may need intensive care and the infection can be fatal. RSV is more likely to be serious in very young babies, those born prematurely, and those with conditions that affect their heart, breathing or immune system.
When you will be offered the RSV vaccine
You should be offered it around the time of your 28 week antenatal appointment. If you haven’t heard by this stage, contact your maternity service or GP practice to make an appointment. Having the vaccine in week 28 or within a few weeks of this will help you build a good level of antibodies to pass on to your baby before birth. This will give your baby the best protection, including if they are born early.
You can still have the vaccine later in your pregnancy but it may be less effective. If it wasn’t possible to have your vaccine earlier, it can be given right up until you have the baby. If you have it very late in pregnancy, it may still protect you from infection and reduce the risk of you spreading infection to your newborn baby.
More information is available at:
A guide to RSV vaccination for pregnant women - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)