RSV vax rollout kicks off in two weeks

3 minute read


The health minister has encouraged pregnant women in their third trimester to book appointments for the newly subsidised jab.


Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has announced that the new, Commonwealth-funded RSV vaccine program will begin on 3 February, giving primary care just two weeks to organise.

News came that the maternal RSV vaccine would join the National Immunisation Program came in November last year; at that stage, however, it was simply promised “before winter” 2025.

The vaccine in question is Pfizer’s Abrysvo, which can be given to women who are between 28 and 36 weeks pregnant.

“I’m announcing this now because the vaccine will be widely available through general practice and through pharmacies from 3 February,” Mr Butler said.

“So pregnant mums who are approaching that third trimester should now think about organising appointments to go and see your GP or your community pharmacy to receive this vaccine.”

RACGP president Dr Michael Wright said the college looked forward to working closely with the government to ensure that practices receive ample supply of the vaccine “and no families face any delays”.

“This vaccine program is so important, and we need to get the logistics right,” he said. 

“Pregnant women currently see their GP for a vaccine to protect them from whooping cough at around 30 weeks into their pregnancy, and the RSV vaccine will be available around the same time … that way, we can make sure that as many women as possible get vaccinated.”

A spokesman for Pfizer told The Medical Republic that it was confident its levels of supply would be enough to meet demand.

“Pfizer is confident in its supply chain’s ability to meet the demand when Abrysvo is made available through the National Immunisation Program, as well as service the private market for older adults,” they said.

Out of pocket, the vaccine costs patients around $300.

In a separate deal brokered by the Commonwealth alongside state and territory governments, infants under 24 months whose mothers have not received the Pfizer vaccine will be eligible for a subsidised course of Sanofi monoclonal antibody immunisation Beyfortus (nirsevimab).

The immunisation will be free for all newborns less than eight months of age in cases where their mother has not taken the maternal vaccine or received it less than two weeks before giving birth.

Babies with certain complex medical conditions up to two years of age will also be eligible.  

Each state is in charge of its own rollout of this program.

Victoria, Tasmania and SA will start to offer the medicine for free from 1 April.

NSW has an existing program that offered nirsevimab to eligible vulnerable babies; this will wrap up in mid-March, to be replaced by the wider program from 17 March.

The remaining jurisdictions have not publicly confirmed their go-live dates, although Queensland, the Northern Territory and WA all ran paediatric RSV monoclonal antibody programs in 2024.

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