Report: Maternal RSV vaccination and reduced risk of hospitalisation for babies in England, 2024/25, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
What are the main points?
- In the ‘largest real-world study’, 300,000 babies born between September 2024 and March 2025 were followed, representing around 90% of births in this period.
- 4500 hospitalisations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) chest infection occurred, the vast majority in infants whose mothers had not been vaccinated.
- Mothers getting the vaccine on time (week 28 or soon after) was best, as babies born at least four weeks after their mother was vaccinated had nearly 85% protection.
- Even vaccination as close as 10 to 13 days before birth reduced hospital admissions by 50%. Premature babies, who are particularly vulnerable to RSV, can be well protected if there’s at least two weeks between vaccination and birth.
- Separately, the RSV vaccination programme has been extended to adults aged 80+ and all residents in care homes for older adults, in addition to adults aged 75-79 and pregnant women, for all the UK.
EXPERT THOUGHT
Dr Conall Watson, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA and RSV programme lead
‘RSV can cause life-threatening chest infections for babies. Half of newborns will have caught RSV before they are a year old. As an expectant parent, you have no idea if they are going to be severely ill or not… This study clearly shows the hugely beneficial effect on reducing hospital admission.’
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