RSV immunisations

What is RSV

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a highly contagious viral infection that infects your upper airways and lungs.

It can also cause severe respiratory illnesses, including bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.

Who’s at risk

People most at risk of serious RSV disease include:

• infants under 12 months, especially 6 months and under
• children under 2 with medical conditions such as chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, or who were born early or with a low birth weight
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander children
• pregnant women
• people aged 75 years and older
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and older.

Older children, adolescents and adults can still get RSV, but it’s less common for them to get a severe illness.

RSV is the most common cause of babies and young children needing care in hospital. Most children have at least one RSV infection before they turn 2.

Signs and symptoms

You’ll usually get symptoms 3 to 10 days after getting infected and may have:

• a fever
• a cough
• a runny nose
• wheezing or noisy breathing.

Babies and children may also:

• be irritable or tired
• not want to breast or bottle feed
• lose weight
• have fast breathing or need to work hard to breathe.

Coughing from RSV can last up to 4 weeks and make asthma symptoms worse.

How it spreads

RSV is very infectious and is easily spread from coughing or sneezing. You can also get it from touching contaminated objects or surfaces.

Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces will kill the virus, which can live outside the body for several hours.

It’s best to stay at home if you have RSV. If your baby or child has RSV, keep them home from school or childcare until their symptoms go to stop the virus spreading.

Using good hygiene will also help stop the virus spreading.

Immunisation during pregnancy

Getting immunised is the best way to protect your newborn baby from RSV.

You can get immunised during pregnancy. The vaccine transfers antibodies across the placenta, protecting your baby from birth to 6 months. For the vaccine to be effective, you must have it at least 14 days before giving birth.

If you didn't get the vaccine during pregnancy, you can still protect your baby by immunising them against RSV after birth.

Immunisation for newborns, infants and young children

Your baby or infant can get the immunisation if:

• you didn’t have the RSV vaccination during pregnancy
• you were vaccinated less than 14 days before they were born
• their birthing mother’s RSV immunisation status is unknown
• your baby has a complex medical condition that increases their risk of severe RSV disease.

Newborn babies can have the vaccine in hospital before they go home. They can also have it at the same time as other routine vaccines and injections through a GP or another immunisation provider.

Children with complex medical conditions can get the immunisation up until they turn 2.

For more information, speak to your GP or immunisation provider about RSV immunisation for your baby or young child.

Immunisation for older people

From 15 May 2026, RSV immunisation is free and recommended for:

• people aged 75 years and older
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 and older.

RSV immunisation is recommended, but not free for people aged 60 years and older with a medical condition that increases their risk of severe RSV.

You can get the vaccine through community immunisation service providers including GPs, pharmacies, immunisation clinics, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services.

For more information, speak to your GP or preferred immunisation provider.

Treatment

There’s no specific treatment for RSV and you'll usually start feeling better in about 2 weeks.

It can help to:

• rest and drink plenty fluids, such as water, to avoid dehydration
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve a high temperature.

Some people may need to go to hospital for monitoring, extra fluids and oxygen. This is more common in young babies, children and older people.

When to get help

Get medical help if you or your child have trouble breathing.

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for an ambulance.

If you're not sure whether to go to an emergency department, call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or see your GP if you’re:

• worried about symptoms you or your child have
• in a high risk group.