Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs. RSV infection often causes symptoms similar to a cold, including:
It 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 can cause death. RSV can be more severe in older people or those with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease or a weakened immune system.
You will be invited by your GP practice for a free vaccine when you turn 75. This is the best protection against serious illness from the virus.
If you have a minor illness such as a cold you can receive the vaccine, but if you are very unwell or have a fever, the doctor or nurse may advise you to wait until you are better.
In the clinical studies, RSV vaccine provided good protection for at least 2 years and is expected to last longer.
If you’re over 75 and have not received your vaccine you can contact your GP practice. You may be offered your shingles or pneumococcal vaccine at the same time to reduce the number of appointments.
