New appointments opened for RSV Immunisation Clinics

With the anticipated rise in RSV this winter and the significant demand for further clinics from parents, the HSE is providing parents another opportunity to get their baby immunised. New RSV immunisation appointments will be available for a limited period of time from 17 November to 12 December in clinics across the country.

The HSE is strongly advising parents of babies born between 1 March to 31 August 2025 who did not avail of the opportunity in September to book early to ensure their baby is protected ahead of any surge in RSV infections.

According to Dr Augustine Pereira, Director of Public Health with the HSE National Health Protection Office; “The RSV Immunisation is the safest and most effective way to protect your baby this winter. The HSE has clinics all over the country making it easy and convenient for parents with young babies to avail of this immunisation which is available free of charge.”

“The RSV infection causes hospitalisations, including some serious illness, especially among young infants and before the introduction of the programme, each winter 4 out of every 100 infants were hospitalised due to RSV, with some babies needing special treatment in intensive care units. A further 50 out of every 100 infants were infected with RSV and many needed medical care from their GP, pharmacist, or the paediatric emergency department.”

The RSV catch-up programme during September and early October 2025 achieved a national uptake rate of 45.5% amongst eligible infants. The RSV immunisation programme targeting newborn babies has so far achieved a cumulative uptake of 89% since the programme commenced on 1 September, we want to continue to build on that and ensure that we protect as many babies as possible from RSV this winter.

Dr Pereira added; “We know this works and ensures small babies are protected from RSV. It significantly reduces serious infections requiring hospital admissions and the terrible stress and fear it causes for parents and loved ones. Paediatricians have called this new immunisation a ‘game changer’.”

This programme was hugely successful last year, with almost 22,500 babies immunised, 83% of those offered immunisation accepted it for their babies.

Among those immunised (compared to similar babies the previous year who were not immunised), there was a significant decrease in the impact of RSV including:

• 65% reduction in total number of cases
• 57% reduction in cases presenting to emergency departments
• 76% reduction in babies requiring hospitalisation
• 65% reduction in babies needing intensive care due to complications of RSV

The RSV immunisation, nirsevimab, 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 and 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.

The HSE is urging parents of babies born from 1 March to 31 August 2025 to book an appointment. Parents of babies born from 1 September to 28 February 2026 will be offered the immunisation before they leave the maternity hospital.

The immunisation is provided free of charge and is provided through a jab into the baby’s leg and will protect them against RSV throughout the winter.