The HSE is urging parents of newborns to get their babies vaccinated against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) this winter. With the anticipated rise in RSV cases and high demand for additional clinics, HSE West and North West is offering parents in Sligo another opportunity to protect their infants. New RSV immunisation appointments will be available from November 17 to December 12 at various clinics. The HSE strongly advises parents of babies born between March 1 and August 31, 2025, who missed the September opportunity, to book early. This is crucial to safeguard their babies from potential RSV surges. According to Dr. Áine McNamara, Regional Director of Public Health, HSE West and North West, RSV immunisation is highly effective and safe. She emphasizes that the HSE is making it convenient for parents to access this free service. RSV can cause severe illness, especially in young infants, leading to hospitalisation. Before the programme's introduction, 4 out of 100 infants were hospitalised due to RSV each winter, with some requiring intensive care. The catch-up programme in September and October 2025 achieved a 45.5% uptake rate. The RSV immunisation programme for newborn babies has been successful, with an 89% cumulative uptake since its start. Last year, nearly 22,500 babies were immunised, and 83% of those offered the vaccine accepted it. The results were impressive, with a significant reduction in RSV cases, hospitalisations, and intensive care admissions among immunised babies. The HSE and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) strongly recommend the RSV immunisation, nirsevimab, which has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. This vaccine provides immediate protection against RSV for 150 days, covering the early, vulnerable period of a baby's life. Parents in Sligo, whose babies were born between March 1 and August 31, 2025, are urged to book appointments at https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/rsv/immunisation/. Parents of babies born from September 1 to February 28, 2026, will receive the immunisation before leaving the maternity hospital. The free vaccination is administered via an injection in the baby's leg, offering protection throughout the winter.
