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16th September 2025
10:01am BST
Parents of newborn babies have been told to register for the RSV immunisation programme as soon as possible. Babies born in the six-month period from March 1st, 2025, to August 31st, 2025, are now eligible.
The HSE's RSV immunisation clinics have been available in the community since September 1st. They will be available until the first week in October.
Over 2,000 infants were immunised in the community clinics during their first week of operation. Over 90% of all newborn infants born in Irish hospitals have also been immunised since September 1st.
Dr Éamonn O’Moore, HSE National Director for Health Protection, said:
"RSV immunisation is underway in both maternity settings to all babies born in Ireland from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026, as well as in the community, available for all babies in Ireland born in the six month period from 1 March 2025 to 31 August 2025."
"Before the introduction of the programme, each winter, 4 out of every 100 infants were hospitalised due to RSV, with some infants needing special treatment in intensive care units.
"A further 50 out of every 100 infants got RSV, and many needed medical care from their GP, or the emergency department of a children’s hospital. The programme significantly reduced infections, serious illness and hospitalisations.
Dr. O'Moore has urged parents of all eligible babies to take the offer this September. RSV season is just weeks away, as medical experts have seen it begin as early as October.
Dr. Moore stressed that the vaccine is free and safe. He said it will help protect your infant from RSV throughout the winter months and beyond.
"The immunisation– called nirsevimab – is provided free of charge and will protect each baby against RSV throughout the winter. The immunisation is strongly recommended by the HSE and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. "
Nirsevimab starts working as soon as the baby receives the injection. It protects against RSV for 150 days, covering the very early period in a baby’s life when they are most vulnerable to serious RSV-related illness.
RSV is a significant cause of severe respiratory illness among children under two years of age. It is also the most common cause of hospital admissions due to acute respiratory illness in young children.
It can cause chest infections like bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) in infants, and the risk is highest in children aged less than six months.
The RSV immunisation programme is being delivered by trained midwives in all maternity settings after birth and before the baby is discharged.
It is also being delivered by vaccination teams in the community for children born since March 1st.
Parents of babies born from March 1st to August 31st can book an appointment at a local community site on the RSV Immunisation page of the HSE website https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/rsv/immunisation/
Parents of babies born from September 1st to February 28th, 2026, will be offered the immunisation in their maternity hospital before they leave.
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