The NHS has expanded its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme in England, opening access to thousands more adults aged 65 to 74 who live with chronic respiratory disease or have immunosuppression caused by disease or treatment.
The move means eligible people will be able to receive the jab from their local GP practice, and in some areas from high street pharmacies, from 1 September. The expansion follows updated advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which identified the newly eligible groups as being at higher risk of severe outcomes from RSV infection, including hospital admission.
Who the new guidance covers
According to NHS England, the rollout includes people living with poorly controlled asthma, chronic bronchitis or cystic fibrosis, as well as patients with weakened immune systems caused by other conditions such as blood cancer or by medical treatments such as chemotherapy. The vaccine is already available to millions of people aged 75 and over, all residents in care homes for older adults, and pregnant women.
RSV is described by NHS England as a common virus that infects the lungs. While symptoms are mild for many people, it can be severe in older adults, causing pneumonia, bronchitis and flare-ups of existing lung disease and other long-term conditions. The health service said the latest expansion is intended to help keep more vulnerable patients out of hospital during the winter months, when cases typically peak.
Why officials say the expansion matters
NHS England said more than half a million people aged 80 and over have received the jab in the past three months alone, underlining the scale of the programme. Caroline Temmink, Director of Vaccination at NHS England, said expanding the vaccine to this group offers the best possible protection and can help prevent hospitalisation.
Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson said the wider programme is designed to protect more people at higher risk before they become seriously ill, while Dr Conall Watson of the UK Health Security Agency said new evidence shows the two newly eligible groups are at the highest risk of admission due to RSV. The NHS also said the vaccine works by stimulating the body to produce antibodies against the virus so the immune system can respond more quickly if exposed.
What happens next
The new eligibility begins on 1 September, and NHS England is urging anyone who is offered the vaccine to come forward. The expansion is part of a broader effort to reduce severe respiratory illness and pressure on hospitals ahead of winter.
More information is available from the NHS through its official vaccination guidance and announcement pages. NHS England announcement
