Pregnant women and older people will be offered RSV vaccine on the NHS

New NHS vaccination programs in England are expected to be delivered through GP practices and pharmacies.

A one-off catch-up campaign among people already aged 75 to 79 will also be launched, with the aim of vaccinating as many people as possible by the end of August 2025.

Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “We encourage everyone who has been offered an RSV vaccine to take it up when the vaccination program begins in September.

“RSV is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious lung infections, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

“The vaccine will help prevent older people and small babies from developing more serious complications from the virus while helping to reduce pressure on NHS services during the busy winter months.”

The new programs follow guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI), which advises the UK government on vaccines.

An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS will do everything it can to ensure people are protected against this nasty virus before winter, with GPs preparing to offer this new vaccine to vulnerable groups as quickly as possible, so please come forward when you are invited.

“Delighted calls for vaccination were heard”

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said RSV is so common that most children become infected with it before their second birthday.

The RSV epidemic peaks in December and is responsible for approximately 33,000 hospitalizations of children under the age of five and 20 to 30 deaths of young children each year.