NHS Lothian will contact you when you are eligible to be immunised.

The RSV vaccination will be offered from August 2024, in order to protect infants, through maternal vaccination, and older adults.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine helps to protect people from RSV.

RSV is a common respiratory (lungs and airways) illness. RSV infection is more common from late autumn to early spring, but can happen at any time of year.

Sometimes, RSV infection can cause severe lower respiratory infections like pneumonia. It can also cause other life-threatening conditions.

In Scotland in 2023, there were over 1,000 RSV cases in adults aged 75 and over.

The vaccine helps protect you by reducing your chances of getting an RSV infection.

For older adults:

If you’re turning 75 years old between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025, you’ll be offered the RSV vaccine. This includes if your 75th birthday is on 1 August 2024 or 31 July 2025.

The vaccine will also be offered to anyone who is aged 75 to 79 years on 1 August 2024. This means you can get the vaccine if your date of birth is between 2 August 1944 and 31 July 1950. This is because the RSV vaccine is new to Scotland, and this group could not be given the vaccine before now.

In future years, the vaccine will be routinely offered to those turning 75 years old between 1 August and 31 July.

Getting the RSV vaccine is the best way to protect yourself against infections caused by RSV.

You’ll be offered the RSV vaccine if you’re pregnant. It’ll help protect your baby against serious illness from RSV infection.

During pregnancy, you can get the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks. Having the RSV vaccine at this time means that your baby is protected even if they’re born early.

You should not get the RSV vaccine if you’re less than 28 weeks pregnant.

If you did not get the RSV vaccine at 28 weeks, you can still get it later in your pregnancy. It’ll still protect you from infection and reduce the risk of passing RSV infection to your newborn baby.

The best way to protect your baby from serious illness is getting all recommended vaccines at the right time.