Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common highly infectious virus that affects the respiratory system (lungs and breathing passages).
RSV infections are usually mild with cold-like symptoms, but can develop to cause more serious illness, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Babies aged less than 6 months of age are at highest risk for severe illness. Eligible pregnant women, infants and young children can get immunised against RSV. See RSV immunisation section for more information.
RSV easily spreads when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks sending respiratory droplets containing the virus into the air.
These droplets can end up in other people’s eyes, nose or mouths where they can cause infection.
These droplets can also land on surfaces and objects, such as door handles, and toys, where other people can touch them and then transfer the virus to their eyes, nose or mouths.
RSV infections are often mild with symptoms similar to a common cold. RSV is one of the most frequent causes of coughs, colds, and earaches, but the illness can worsen quickly, in as little as 2 to 3 days after infection.
Symptoms include, fever, runny nose, headache, sneezing, coughing and wheezing.
RSV is very common, and more than half of all babies will get infected before their first birthday. In Australia, RSV infection is the most common reason babies are hospitalised in their first year of life and every year in WA, about 1 in every 30 babies are hospitalised with RSV.
In infants and children, RSV infection may cause difficulty breathing, and the infection may progress to more serious respiratory infections such as, bronchiolitis (chest infection), pneumonia (lung infection) and croup (voice box and windpipe infection).
RSV immunisation is safe and effective at preventing RSV. Antibodies targeting the virus can help prevent your baby from becoming ill if they are exposed to RSV. Your baby can get these RSV protective antibodies in one of two ways.
Option A - Abrysvo: From 3 February, the maternal RSV vaccine is available for free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). It is recommended to receive this during weeks 28-36 of pregnancy.
Getting one dose of the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo), between 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy generates anti-RSV antibodies that move across the placenta to the baby before they are born. This reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in young babies by about 70 per cent. These maternal antibodies protect your baby for up to 6 months from birth, i.e. the period when they are most at risk.
Option B - Beyfortus® (nirsevimab): If the mother did not get an Abrysvo vaccination while pregnant, babies can receive an RSV immunisation medicine called Beyfortus.
Beyfortus contains ready-made antibodies that target the RSV virus. One injection given to babies in their leg will protect them for at least 5 months, i.e. the length of a typical RSV season. A single dose of Beyfortus can reduce their chance of being hospitalised from RSV by 80 per cent.
All eligible pregnant women during weeks 28-36 of their pregnancy, can receive one injection of Abrysvo vaccination beginning on 3 February 2025.
Most infants whose mother received an Abrysvo vaccination won’t need Beyfortus. However, to be optimally protected from RSV, sometimes the baby will need a Beyfortus immunisation even if the mother got the vaccine while pregnant. This can happen if the baby has certain medical conditions or if the mother received the vaccine less than two weeks before the baby’s birth.
One dose of Beyfortus protects babies for at least 5 months.
All doses of Beyfortus provided will be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Pregnant women during weeks 28-36 of your pregnancy can get an Abrysvo vaccination.
From 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025 the following children will be eligible for Beyfortus in WA:
This eligibility is applicable state-wide except for in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, where RSV immunisation will be available to the above cohorts year-round because the increased risk of RSV transmission occurring outside the winter months.
In WA, RSV immunisation services are available for eligible pregnant women and babies at most:
In addition, Abrysvo is also available for pregnant women through participating community pharmacies.
Find more information about RSV including where to get vaccinated in WA.
