New RSV vaccination programme to be rolled out

A new vaccination programme aimed at protecting new born babies and older adults against the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and its complications has been approved in Northern Ireland.

From this September, all pregnant women will be offered the RSV vaccination, providing infants with protection against the virus from birth, Northern Ireland's Department of Health said.

Adults aged from 75-79 years of age will also be offered the RSV vaccination.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the virus has a "significant impact" on the health service during the winter.

He said: "My department has approved the RSV programme following the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and in line with the approach being taken across the other UK nations."

A similar roll-out was recently announced in Wales.

Mr Nesbitt said he encourages all of those eligible to "avail of the vaccination to help protect themselves and their baby from illness."

For most people, RSV causes a mild respiratory illness with cold-like symptoms.

However, for babies under one year, and the elderly, there is a significant risk of severe infection which could result in being taken to hospital.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride described the roll out as an "important public health measure."

"For generations we have seen how effective vaccinations have been in eradicating diseases and protecting children and other vulnerable groups from serious illness and death, but we are now seeing a worrying decline in the uptake of childhood immunisations" he added.

Mr McBride said vaccinations offer children the "very best start in life" and "quite simply, if children aren't vaccinated, they're not protected."

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is one of the common viruses which cause coughs and colds

• More than 60% of children have been infected by their first birthday and that rises to 80% by the age of two
• For most people it causes a mild respiratory illness
• For a small number of people, who are at risk of more severe respiratory disease such as the very young or elderly, RSV might cause pneumonia or even death
• Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, a cough and sometimes a fever

Sources: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), NHS, House of Lords Library

• RSV starts with a blocked or runny nose and can progress to a dry cough, fever and sometimes breathing problems

• For most children, it will be mild and can be treated at home with infant paracetamol or ibuprofen

• Call your GP or seek medical advice if your child is not feeding normally, is breathing fast or has a high temperature that will not go down

• Call 999 if your child is exhausted from trying to breathe - you may see the muscles under their ribs sucking in with each breath or they may be pale and sweaty