NHS Expands RSV Vaccine Programme for Vulnerable Adults

Thousands more vulnerable adults across England will be eligible to receive the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine from September, as the NHS expands its vaccination programme to help prevent severe respiratory illness and hospital admissions during the winter months.

The latest expansion will offer vaccination to adults aged 65–74 who have chronic respiratory diseases or are immunosuppressed due to underlying medical conditions or treatment. The move follows recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which identified these groups as being at particularly high risk of severe RSV infection.

Eligible individuals will be able to receive the vaccine through their local GP practice or, in some areas, participating community pharmacies from 1 September.

Expanded Protection for High-Risk Groups

The newly eligible groups include people living with conditions such as poorly controlled asthma, chronic bronchitis and cystic fibrosis, as well as individuals with weakened immune systems caused by diseases such as blood cancers or treatments including chemotherapy.

RSV is a common respiratory virus that infects the lungs and airways. Although it often causes mild symptoms, it can lead to serious complications in older adults and those with underlying health conditions, including pneumonia, bronchitis and exacerbations of chronic respiratory disease.

Severe RSV infection frequently results in hospitalisation and places additional pressure on healthcare services during the winter season.

NHS Vaccination Programme Continues to Grow

The announcement follows the recent expansion of the RSV vaccination programme to include all adults aged 80 years and older. According to NHS England, more than 519,000 people aged over 80 have received the vaccine in the past three months alone.

The NHS currently offers RSV vaccination to everyone aged 75 years and over, residents of older adult care homes, and pregnant women. Since its introduction in 2024, the maternal RSV vaccination programme has helped protect an estimated 300,000 mothers and their babies during its first year.

The vaccine works by stimulating the body’s immune response using a small amount of RSV protein, enabling the immune system to rapidly recognise and respond to the virus if exposure occurs.

Preventing Severe Illness This Winter

The NHS hopes that expanding vaccine eligibility will reduce avoidable hospital admissions and improve outcomes for those most at risk of severe RSV infection.

Evidence reviewed by the JCVI identified adults with chronic respiratory disease and immunosuppression as particularly vulnerable to severe disease and hospitalisation. The committee is continuing to review data regarding RSV vaccination in other adult populations with underlying health conditions.

Health officials have emphasised that RSV poses a risk throughout the year, although infections typically peak during the winter months.

Supporting Winter Preparedness

The expanded RSV vaccination programme forms part of wider efforts to improve protection against seasonal respiratory infections and reduce pressure on NHS services during winter.

By extending access to groups at highest risk of severe complications, NHS England aims to prevent serious lung infections, reduce hospitalisations, and provide vulnerable patients with additional protection before the start of the 2026–27 winter season.

Reference

NHS England. Thousands more vulnerable adults to be offered RSV vaccine to prevent serious lung infection. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/2026/07/thousands-more-vulnerable-adults-to-be-offered-rsv-vaccine-to-prevent-serious-lung-infection/.