The rollout, which will start from 1 September in England, includes a vaccine for pregnant women over 28 weeks to protect their newborn babies, and a programme for those over the age of 75 – the groups at the greatest risk from RSV.
The programme will be rolled out in Wales and Northern Ireland in September, and from 12 August in Scotland.
It follows campaigning by the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) for a RSV vaccination programme, which received the backing of hundreds of doctors and healthcare professionals.
According to the Department of Health and Social Care, RSV infects around 90 per cent of children within the first two years of life. It typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, however it can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis, and is a ‘leading cause’ of infant mortality globally.
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