Many older people in Orkney will have taken up the opportunity to be vaccinated against RSV ( Respiratory Syncytial Virus). In Scotland’s RSV vaccination programme newborns and infants, pregnant women are being offered the vaccine during antenatal appointments with their midwife from 28 weeks into their pregnancy.

There were also over 1,000 cases of RSV recorded in adults aged 75 and over in Scotland between October 2022 and September 2023, with more than half (535) having to spend time in hospital as a result.

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen and the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, have reviewed the evidence on the safety and effectiveness of vaccines against RSV in older and frailer individuals. They found the vaccines to be 86% effective in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections in the first year after vaccination. 

If uptake of the vaccine reaches 70%, evidence suggests that up to 2,800 deaths could be prevented in the UK every year.  Additionally, with at least 70% uptake, around 36,000 GP consultations, 4,600 hospitalisations and 1,000 ICU admissions could be avoided.   

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Immunisation and Vaccination at Public Health Scotland, said: 

“The recent launch of Scotland’s new RSV vaccination programme marks another significant step forward to protect the health of the population.    
 
“RSV can be very serious for those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in those aged 75 years and over being hospitalised for RSV. That’s why we’re asking all those who are eligible for the RSV vaccine to take up the offer to protect themselves against the more serious complications of an RSV infection.” 

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that generally causes mild cold like symptoms but may occasionally result in severe lower respiratory infection such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia, particularly in infants and young children or in adults with compromised cardiac, pulmonary, or immune systems. RSV has an annual seasonality with peaks of activity in the winter months.

Dr Elvira Garcia, Consultant of Public Health and Immunisation Coordinator at NHS Orkney said:

“I’m very pleased that the new RSV vaccination programme in Scotland will help protect some of those who are most at-risk from getting an RSV infection. RSV is a common respiratory virus, like the cold or flu, that can lead to very serious infections in some people, such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis, which is an infection of the small airways of the lung.

“If you are eligible, getting vaccinated is the best and simplest thing you can do to protect yourself or your newborn baby from RSV and any potentially serious illness it can bring. I would strongly encourage you to get your RSV vaccine if you are invited for vaccination.”

The latest data from Public Health Scotland:

Number of acute RSV admissions to hospital by NHS Health Board of Treatment; week ending 22nd September:

Health Board	week ending 8 Sept 24	week ending 15 Sept 24	week ending 22 Sept 24
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	0	0	0
NHS Borders	3	1	0
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	0	1	0
NHS Fife	0	0	0
NHS Forth Valley	4	10	1
NHS Grampian	0	1	2
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	3	7	6
NHS Highland	0	0	0
NHS Lanarkshire	1	0	1
NHS Lothian	4	12	11
NHS Orkney	0	0	0
NHS Shetland	0	0	0
NHS Tayside	1	2	1
NHS Western Isles	0	0	0
Golden Jubilee National Hospital	0	0	0
Scotland	16	34	22

Professor Roy Soiza who led the research at the University of Aberdeen explained:

“The NHS is badly stretched, so efforts to reduce the healthcare burden from avoidable communicable diseases such as RSV infection are highly desirable. Although some sections of social media are often dominated by anti-vaccine messages, it is important that reliable public health messages cut through the noise. 

“Our review found that the vaccines are safe and effective and we are calling on healthcare professionals and carers to encourage those invited to receive the vaccine to take up the opportunity.   

“There is evidence of effectiveness in preventing RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections of around 86 percent in the first year after vaccination.  

“Trials have been conducted in people aged over 60 years of age, including those with underlying medical conditions, but the number of volunteers aged 80 or over was too small to be certain of the extent of benefit. Nevertheless, we saw in the covid pandemic that the effectiveness of vaccines in trials of younger and healthier people was replicated in those who were much frailer and older.   

“We therefore urge those with an interest in the care of older people to encourage those eligible and invited to have the new vaccine to take it.” 

Click on this link to access, Why the UK is vaccinating its older adult population against RSV—what geriatricians should know, published in Age and Ageing.

Fiona Grahame