Immunisations

RSV Vaccination

RSV vaccine

The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common virus that can make babies and older adults seriously ill. It's recommended during pregnancy and for adults aged 75 to 79.

What the RSV vaccine is for

The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/

RSV is a common cause of coughs and colds. Most people get it several times during their life.

It usually gets better by itself, but in some people (especially babies and older adults) it can cause illnesses such as:

These illnesses can cause serious breathing problems. They may need to be treated in hospital and can be life-threatening.

Getting RSV can also make your symptoms worse if you have a lung condition, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

The RSV vaccine helps reduce the risk of serious breathing problems like pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

Who should have the RSV vaccine

The RSV vaccine is recommended if:

  • you're pregnant – the vaccine is recommended during every pregnancy (from 28 weeks onwards) to help protect your baby after they're born
  • you're aged 75 to 79
Information:

If you're aged 80 or over

If you turned 80 on or after 1 September 2024, you're eligible for the RSV vaccine until 31 August 2025.

You're not eligible for the RSV vaccine if you turned 80 before 1 September 2024.

How to get the RSV vaccine

There are different ways to get the RSV vaccine.

If you're pregnant

You should be offered the RSV vaccine around the time of your 28-week antenatal appointment.

Getting vaccinated as soon as possible from 28 weeks will provide the best protection for your baby. But the vaccine can be given later if needed, including up until you go into labour.

Speak to your maternity service or GP surgery if you're 28 weeks pregnant or more and have not been offered the vaccine.

If you're aged 75 to 79

Your GP surgery will usually contact you about getting the RSV vaccine. This may be by letter, text, phone call or email.

Please wait to be contacted before booking your vaccination.

How the RSV vaccine is given

The RSV vaccine is given as an injection into your upper arm.

Unlike some vaccines (such as flu or COVID-19 vaccines), the RSV vaccine is given all year round.

If you're pregnant, you should have the vaccine during every pregnancy. This will help make sure each baby is protected for the first 6 months after they're born, when they're most likely to get seriously ill if they get RSV.

Older adults only need 1 dose, which should protect them for several years.

Having the RSV vaccine at the same time as other vaccines

If you're pregnant, you can have the RSV vaccine at the same time as other pregnancy vaccines, such as the whooping cough and flu vaccines.

But it's best to have them as soon as they're offered rather than waiting to have them at the same time.

If you're aged 75 to 79, the RSV vaccine is not usually given at the same appointment as your flu or COVID-19 vaccines, but you can have them at the same time if a doctor or nurse thinks it's needed.

You can have it at the same time as other vaccines, such as the shingles and pneumococcal vaccines.

Cases of Measles are on the rise, there has been a recent outbreak and we recommend our patients to get Vaccinated

Please see attached posters on how to stay safe:

Measles STOP THE SPREAD

https://publichealthengland-immunisati.app.box.com/s/mgppw733nelj3s4mtk8n13tsauznl691

 Measles_poster_English.pdf                           Measles_symptoms_leaflet_English.pdf   PHE_Measles_outbreak_A4_poster_for_GP_surgery_reception.pdf

Protecting against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

Measles

Measles is caused by a very infectious virus. Nearly everyone who catches it will have a high fever, a rash and generally be unwell.

The complications of measles include chest infections, fits (seizures), encephalitis (infection of the brain), and brain damage. In very serious cases, measles can kill.

Mumps

Mumps is caused by a virus which can lead to fever, headache, and painful, swollen glands in the face, neck and jaw. It can result in permanent deafness, viral meningitis and encephalitis (inflammation and swelling of the brain).

Rubella

Rubella (German measles) is a disease caused by a virus. In children it is usually mild and can go unnoticed. But, rubella in pregnancy is very serious for unborn babies. It can seriously damage their sight, hearing, heart and brain. This condition is called congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).

The MMR vaccine

It contains weakened versions of live measles, mumps and rubella viruses. Because the viruses are weakened, people who have had the vaccine cannot infect other people. In the UK we have 2 MMR vaccines. Both work very well, one contains porcine gelatine and the other doesn’t. If you want your child to have the porcine gelatine-free vaccine, discuss it with your practice nurse or GP.

You can view the MMR vaccine Patient Information Leaflets at:

The MMR vaccine is the safest way to protect your child against measles, mumps and rubella.

How and when the vaccine is given

The vaccine is injected into the muscle of the thigh or upper arm. It is given at one year of age after the immunity the baby got from their mother fades. A second dose of the vaccine should be given again before your child starts school at around 3 years and 4 months of age.

Effectiveness of the MMR vaccine

MMR vaccine has been responsible for almost wiping out these 3 diseases in young children since it was introduced in the UK in 1988.

Side effects of the MMR vaccine

The 3 different viruses in the vaccine act at different times and may produce the following side effects after the first dose:

  • 6 to 10 days after immunisation, as the measles part of the vaccine starts to work, about 1 in 10 children may develop a fever and some may develop a mild measles-like rash and go off their food

  • about 1 in every 1,000 immunised children may have a fit caused by a fever – this is called a ‘febrile convulsion’; however, children who are not immunised and get measles are 3 times more likely to have a fit

  • about 3 weeks after MMR vaccination, as the mumps part of the vaccine starts to work, some children may rarely get mumps-like symptoms (fever and swollen glands)

  • very rarely, children may get a rash of small bruise-like spots in the 6 weeks after the vaccination, usually caused by the measles or rubella parts of the vaccine – if you see spots like these, take your child to the doctor to be checked; your doctor will tell you how to deal with the rash and how to protect your child in the future

  • fewer than one in a million children may develop encephalitis (inflammation and swelling of the brain) after the MMR vaccine. However, if a child catches measles, the chance of developing encephalitis is between 1 in 200 and 1 in 5,000

If your baby is allergic to eggs

The MMR vaccine can safely be given to children who have had a severe allergy (anaphylactic reaction) to egg. If you have any concerns, talk to your health visitor or practice nurse.

The MMR vaccine and gelatine

In the UK, we have 2 MMR vaccines which work very well. One of them contains gelatine and the other one doesn’t. If you would prefer to have the vaccine that does not contain porcine gelatine, talk to your practice nurse. 

 

updated January 2024

Do I Need To Be Protected Against Pneumococcal Infection?

Anyone with certain chronic diseases and anyone over the age of 65 and over should now be immunised to help protect them against pneumococcal infection which can cause diseases such as pneumonia, septicaemia (blood poisoning) and meningitis.

This vaccination can be given at anytime of the year.

We are currently inviting patients on a call and recall system in priority order as per Government Guidelines and PHE (Public Health England) please see below:

Vaccine supply and implications for prioritising eligible patients

Providers should prioritise previously un-vaccinated individuals and booster doses in the same order of priority recommended since late 2017. please see attached link:

  • unvaccinated individuals in priority groups, such as those with asplenia, dysfunction of the spleen, immunosuppression, CSF leaks and cochlear implants should be offered Pneumococcal polysaccharide 23-valent vaccine (PPV23) first. Data up to the end of March 2020 indicates that only 18% of 2 to 64-year olds becoming asplenic between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 had received PPV23

 

  • following vaccination of high-risk groups, providers may then offer PPV23 to previously unvaccinated individuals in moderate risk groups such as those with diabetes and chronic heart, lung, liver and kidney disease

 

  • once high and moderate-risk groups have been offered PPV23, individuals in lower risk groups such as those requiring boosters and healthy over 65-year olds, can then be offered PPV23. Providers may wish to offer PPV23 to healthy over 65-year olds alongside the influenza vaccine during the 2021 to 2022 flu vaccination season

Does Age Affect The Risk Of Flu?

Yes. If you are aged 65 years or over or you are at higher risk

Who is at risk?

  • If you are aged 65 years or over or if you are on regular inhaled steroids
  • If you have a chronic respiratory disease (including asthma)
  • If you have chronic heart disease
  • If you have chronic renal disease
  • If you are diabetic
  • If you have a weak immune system
  • If you live in a long-stay residential or nursing home
  • If you have a chronic liver disease
  • If you are a carer

IMMUNISATION