CHILDREN UP TO six months old will be provided with an Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine as part of an expanded immunisation programme this winter.

The immunisation will be offered in maternity hospitals to all babies born between 1 September 2025 and 28 February 2026.

It will also be available to babies who are aged less than six months old on 1 September, to offer them protection ahead of the seasonal upsurge in infection with RSV.

RSV is a common virus that causes coughs and colds.

The HSE only gave the jab to newborns in maternity hospitals until now.

Last year, almost 22,500 infants were immunised with Nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody, with an uptake rate of around 83% overall.

As a result, the HSE says last winter there was an estimated 57% reduction in Emergency Department presentations, a 76% reduction in hospitalisations and a 65% reduction in ICU admissions compared to the previous year.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said this significant decline highlights just how effective the immunisation has been in protecting people.

“For new parents, knowing their baby is protected against a potentially serious illness has brought immense reassurance.

“I want to sincerely thank the dedicated teams across the Health Service Executive who made this success possible,” the minister said.

“I encourage all parents to take up this opportunity to safeguard their child’s health. High uptake not only protects individual families it also eases pressure on our health service, allowing resources to be directed where they’re needed most.”

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Ellen Crushell said Paediatricians have described Nirsevimab as a “gamechanger”.

Immunisations will be administered from 1 September in maternity hospitals and in clinics nationwide.

The Department of Health said further details of immunisation clinics and how to book appointments will be announced in the coming days.