A new study has found a major drop in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospitalisations following vaccination among eligible age groups in Scotland.
RSV vaccination for older people and pregnant women was brought in across all UK nations from September last year following a recommendation from public health regulators, with GPs tasked to target over-75s.
The study, from Public Health Scotland (PHS) and the University of Strathclyde, showed a 62% reduction in RSV-related hospitalisations among those who received the vaccine and concludes the vaccine is effective in reducing such hospitalisations in older adults.
RSV is a common and highly infectious respiratory virus which impacts the breathing system and can be a serious health risk for vulnerable groups, including older adults.
The study is described as one of the first real-world investigations from the UK and Europe into the impact of the RSV vaccine on older people, focused on a period of high seasonal RSV circulation.
Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, head of immunisation and vaccination at PHS, said the study showed the importance of RSV vaccine uptake in protecting older groups.
‘Vaccinations have played a major role in protecting the health of people across the globe over the last 50 years and the success of the RSV programme marks another significant step in protecting the population of Scotland against preventable diseases,’ he added.
Hospitals across the UK have faced unprecedented levels of respiratory viruses in recent months with NHS England tackling a ‘quad-demic’ of RSV, flu, norovirus and Covid-19 over winter.
The RSV vaccination programme used the Pfizer ABRYSVO vaccine and targeted adults aged between 75 and 79. By the end of November 2024, there was a 68% uptake of the vaccine in this older adult population in Scotland.
A separate programme was also run for pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy to protect infants from the virus.
The Scottish study is the first to demonstrate the positive impact of the RSV vaccination programme in reducing hospital admissions and shows the importance of older adults coming forward for their vaccine, the authors say.
One dose of the vaccine offers multi-year protection, and the results of the study suggest that, in the first year alone, the vaccine programme has reduced serious ill-health among older adults.
In Scotland during November 2024, nearly two-thirds (62%) of hospital admissions for seasonal respiratory illnesses were due to RSV. In the same period, around 20% of admissions were for influenza and 18% for Covid-19.
A version of this article was first published by Pulse’s sister title Nursing in Practice
