Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine – Have you heard about it?

Hopefully information is filtering through to patients concerning the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine and eligible patients have been contacted to make an appointment for their vaccine.

If you are turning 75 years old on or after 1st September 2024 you are eligible for this vaccine. If you are aged 75 to 79 as of 1st September 2024 you will be contacted as you are eligible for the vaccine as well. Unfortunately, if you are 80 you are not eligible, not our rules! If you are not yet 75 the NHS will invite you for the vaccination once, you turn 75.

The vaccine will help patients over the winter period as the symptoms are similar to a cold including.

COUGH, SORE THROAT, SNEEZING AND RUNNY OR BLOCKED NOSE.

RSV can also make you become wheezy or short of breath and lead to pneumonia and other life-threatening conditions. There is no specific treatment, and most infections will get better by themselves.

Every year thousands of older adults need hospital care for RSV, and some of them will die.

Please note you are not able to have this vaccine co-administered with the flu or covid vaccination – they need to be separate.

Should you wish for any further information please click on the link below, thank you.

Your guide to the RSV vaccine for older adults – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)