Health officials tell UK to brace for surge of virus that is the leading cause of death in newborns
Britons have been warned to brace themselves for an upsurge in cases of a deadly lung infection amid a global rise.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which can be deadly for young children and the elderly, flares up every autumn in the UK—just like the flu.
But official surveillance data shows Australia has already logged a record number of cases this year.
NHS chiefs believe the Australian winter is a good predictor of how viruses will spread in the UK.
Spread by coughs and sneezes, it hospitalises around 30,000 children and 18,000 adults in the UK every year, due to serious breathing complications like pneumonia and lung infections.
It said that the virus is a leading cause of death among babies. Around 20 to 30 children die from the virus each winter.
It’s also estimated to contribute to the deaths of 8,000 adults over the same period, due to the increased strain the infection puts on patient’s hearts, causing the organ to fail.
Officials have now urged pregnant women and those eligible to get the RSV vaccine.
Respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ), which can be deadly for young children and the elderly, flares up every autumn in the UK—just like the flu
Officials have now urged pregnant women and those eligible to get the RSV vaccine
Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, said: ‘While for most adults RSV only causes mild, cold-like symptoms, for older adults and young children it can lead to serious breathing problems that can end up in hospitalisation.
‘Getting vaccinated while pregnant is the best way to protect your baby from the moment they are born.
‘Now is the time for mums to act, to make sure their babies are protected ahead of their first few months this winter, when there tends to be more bugs circulating.’
Last week, data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also showed the jab for pregnant women can prevent almost three quarters (72 per cent) of hospital admissions for their babies.
The antibodies the mums produce in response to the jab are passed to their babies in the womb, protecting them for the first six months after being born.
Meanwhile, the vaccine is 82 per cent effective at preventing hospital admissions for RSV among older adults, the UKHSA noted.
Pregnant women can get the jab from 28 weeks of pregnancy onwards through their maternity services or GP surgery.
Older adults aged 75-79 are also eligible for the jab and NHS England will start inviting people to come forward in the next few weeks.
The lung condition spreads by large droplets and the virus can survive on surfaces for up to seven hours
The NHS’s jab rollout comes as part of its winter vaccine plans, which also includes Covid and flu vaccines.
The lung condition spreads by large droplets and the virus can survive on surfaces for up to seven hours.
Children remain infectious for up to three weeks, even after their symptoms have passed.
Higher risk babies can receive the nirsevimab vaccine from September—with the single jab replacing five monthly injections previously given to infants classed as being at high risk.
