What is RSV and how will the vaccine rollout work?
The vaccine for RSV is being expanded to pregnant women and older people, with the NHS beginning rollout this week.
The NHS says the vaccines could prevent thousands of hospital admissions for babies and elderly people, easing pressure on the health service in the run-up to the winter months.
RSV is a leading cause of infant deaths around the world and although the UK records far fewer deaths than other nations it still prevents significant problems.
What is RSV?
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract and typically causes cold-like symptoms in healthy adults and older children.
It is very common, with nine in ten children catching it before the age of two, according to the NHS.
It can be dangerous to those who have weak immune systems - like babies and premature infants and older adults - or pre-existing conditions.
Around the world RSV is one of the leading causes of infant death.
According to the NHS, an average of 146 young children were in hospital with RSV each day at the peak of winter last year, up 11% on the previous year.
An estimated 20,000 babies are hospitalised with RSV in the UK each year, with the cases being fatal for 20 to 30 babies.
It can also have a serious impact on the elderly, with around 9,000 people aged over 75 being admitted to hospital each year in the UK with conditions like pneumonia that has been caused by RSV.
One of the reasons for vaccinating pregnant women is based on research from the thousands of women across the world.
It shows the jab reduces the risk of severe lung infection by around 70% in the first six months of life for newborns.
When discussing the implementation of the new policy, Health Minister Andrew Gwynne shared his family’s experience with RSV.
His grandson was just weeks old when he contracted the virus, which developed into bronchiolitis.
He was put in an induced coma by medics and spent two weeks in intensive care.
"It was just heartbreaking watching this tiny, weeks old baby just helpless on the machine," Mr Gwynne said.
"I don’t want any parent or grandparent to have to go through the trauma that we went through with our grandson with something that is entirely preventable, which RSV is."
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How will the vaccine rollout work?
From September 1, women will be offered the vaccine from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect themselves and their babies.
Pregnant women should speak to their service to arrange their vaccine or request it through their GP.
Adults turning 75 on or after September 1 will also be offered the jab, while a one-off catch-up programme will target those aged 75 to 79 to ensure older people are protected ahead of winter.
The vaccine is expected to provide good protection for at least two years.
Does the vaccine have any side effects?
According to the NHS, you may get redness of swelling at the site of the injection in the days after the jab.
It also pointed to the results of the first use of the jab in the US where three million doses were given. The US introduction found a nervous system condition, that leads to weakness, was reported in around 15 cases.
The NHS said: "The same condition also occurs after a number of common infections and some vaccines but overall it is safer for you to have the vaccine than to risk having a potentially serious RSV infection."
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