There’s been a significant drop in the number of infants under 6 months old being admitted to intensive care with RSV disease in England. According to the UKHSA’s annual report, there were 63 infants admitted to ICU or HDU with confirmed RSV chest infection last winter, which is a 50% reduction compared to the previous year. This decrease is attributed to the NHS RSV maternal vaccination programme, which was introduced in September 2024 and has been protecting newborns from severe RSV disease.
The maternal vaccination programme has been quite effective, with 61.7% of women giving birth having received the RSV vaccine between March 2025 and February 2026. The vaccine is offered to women from 28 weeks of pregnancy to protect newborns, who are at higher risk of severe illness from RSV. The report also shows that peak weekly infant bronchiolitis A&E attendances in England were lower than previous seasons, and the peak season was shorter. This is great news, as RSV can cause a horrible chest infection in babies, which can make it hard for them to breathe and feed.
The UKHSA study has shown that a dose of the maternal vaccine provides over 80% protection to newborn infants against hospital admission. The vaccine is recommended to be given in week 28 or soon afterwards, but it can be given up until labor begins. Health experts are encouraging pregnant women to get vaccinated, especially those who are past 28 weeks and haven’t had the vaccine yet. The vaccine has an excellent safety profile, and it’s highly effective in protecting babies from RSV-related complications in the first few months of their life.