Lifesaving RSV vaccine approved in UK for the first time – are you eligible?

REGULATORS have greenlit a vaccine for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common ‘cold-like’ virus that can be deadly for babies and elderly people.

GSK’s Arexvy jab will be given to Brits aged 60 and older to prevent severe lung infections after being authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

It’s the first time an RSV injection for older adults has been authorised for use in the UK, according to the manufacturer.

The common infection is responsible for an estimated 175,000 GP visits and 14,000 hospitalisations, and kills around 8,000 elderly people annually.

People with underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes and chronic heart and lung disease, tend to be the most hard hit.

Arevxy has recently been approved for use in the US and Europe.

Phase III trials for the jab, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed it was ‘well tolerated’ and 82.6 per cent effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease – such as pneumonia and bronchitis – caused by the RSV infection.

And it was found to be be 94.1 per cent effective at stopping severe infection, though trial participants experienced some pain at the injection site, headaches, tiredness and joint or muscle aches.

It comes after experts at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) called on ministers to consider a national programme to vaccinate newborns and over-75s to take pressure off the NHS.

GSK’s senior vice president and UK general manager, Neale Belson, said: “Our ambition is to help protect adults 60 years of age and older in the UK who are at risk from RSV disease, including those with underlying medical conditions, who drive the majority of RSV hospitalisations.

“This authorisation for Arexvy means eligible adults can be vaccinated against RSV disease for the first time, reinforcing GSK’s long history of vaccine innovation.”

RSV tends to cause mild, cold-like symptoms, which most people recover from within a week or two.

It’s so common that most children will have had the virus by the time they turn two, according to the NHS.

But it can turn serious in infants and older adults.

Its the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in these age groups.

Symptoms of RSV include:

• a runny nose
• decreased appetite
• coughing
• sneezing
• fever
• wheezing

In very young infants, the only symptoms of RSV may be irritability, decreased activity, and breathing difficulties.