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Winter success - 140,000 babies protected against RSV

Immunisation Foundation of Australia

 Winter success – 140,000 babies protected against RSV 

 

Nearly 140,000 Australian babies were protected against severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this winter, helping reduce the number of infants admitted to hospitals with life-threatening complications of the disease,^1-3 according to the Immunisation Foundation of Australia.

 

As winter ends, Australia’s world-leading infant RSV immunisation program has already delivered a 30 per cent reduction in hospital admissions due to severe RSV for infants aged under six months compared to last year. ³ Importantly, this includes a 33 per cent drop in the number of babies admitted to intensive care.³

 

RSV is the number one cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age, with up to one-in-four of these children requiring intensive care.² Without RSV immunisation, around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with severe RSV each year.²

Following the roll-out of the National RSV Mother and Infant Protection Program, this year marks the first time that all Australian families have had free access to either:

 

• Maternal RSV Vaccination (Abrysvo) – a vaccine given to a woman between 28-36 weeks of pregnancy so she can develop and pass on protective antibodies to her baby when born. Protection lasts for 5-6 months after birth.
• Infant RSV Immunisation (Beyfortus, also known as nirsevimab) – ready-made antibodies that offer same-day protection against severe RSV infection. One injection offers protection for infants for 5-6 months.

 

The latest data reveals that nearly 102,000 pregnant women have received the maternal RSV vaccine, while infant RSV immunisation has provided protection to an additional 36,000 babies under eight months of age.^1,4

 

At 31 August, 141,433 RSV cases had been reported across Australia, with half of these infections occurring in children under five years of age. New South Wales carried the heaviest burden, with 43 per cent of all RSV cases for the year.⁵

 

“Every parent who embraced RSV protection for their baby should be congratulated,” said Catherine Hughes AM, Founder of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia.

 

“Before RSV immunisations became available, parents could only watch and worry as their babies suffered. Today, we are keeping Australian babies well and out of hospital,” she said.

 

While initial results from Australia’s infant RSV immunisation program are encouraging, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia believes there is definitely room for improvement.

 

“Parents want to do the best for their children, but there has been some confusion about eligibility and lack of access in certain parts of the country,” said Ms Hughes.

 

“We hope that with more education, next year will bring greater clarity and higher rates of RSV protection in Australian infants.”

 

Infectious diseases physician and vaccination specialist Professor Chris Blyth has seen firsthand the success and far-reaching impact of RSV immunisation.

“We know RSV can quickly escalate to serious respiratory illness in babies. Immunisation allows us to protect infants at their most vulnerable, lowering the risk of both short and long-term complications from the virus,” said Professor Blyth.

 

“Results from an early infant immunisation strategy implemented in Western Australia in 2024 showed that babies were more than 80 per cent less likely to be hospitalised with RSV compared with those who were not immunised.⁶ With maternal vaccine available in 2025 as well as immunisation for infants whose mothers were not vaccinated, we are watching the 2025 season closely to see how this comprehensive strategy compares,” he said.

 

Ms Hughes stressed that RSV continues to circulate well beyond the winter months, so “it’s not too late for parents to protect their little ones”. 

 

“For those who missed vaccination during pregnancy, newborns can still receive RSV immunisation. In most states and territories, there are catch-up programs for older babies.”

 

While this year marks a milestone for infant protection, older Australians remain vulnerable to RSV, with vaccines currently only available via private prescription. The Immunisation Foundation of Australia is advocating for affordable access to RSV protection for older people in advance of winter 2026.

 

Further details about infant RSV protection, including state-based infant immunisation eligibility, are available here.

 

About RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) in children

RSV is the number one cause of hospitalisation for Australian children under five years of age, with up to one-in-four of these children requiring intensive care.² Without RSV immunisation, around 12,000 Australian babies aged 12 months or younger are admitted to hospital with severe RSV each year.²

RSV is a highly contagious virus that most often strikes during the winter months. Babies under the age of six months are most likely to develop severe symptoms, including serious lung infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.²  Further information can be found here.

 

Ends#

 

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia provides information on RSV at www.ifa.org.au/uniteagainstrsv, including:

• Information on the National RSV Mother and Infant Protection Program
• Fact Sheet – RSV in Children
• Fact Sheet – RSV Vaccination During Pregnancy  
• Fact Sheet – RSV Infant Immunisation

 

 

 

References

1. Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report – 14 July to 27 July 2025. Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australian-respiratory-surveillance-report-14-july-to-27-july-2025
2. Evohealth. Time to Act – Protecting our children from RSV. 2023. Available at: https://www.evohealth.com.au/insights/time-to-act-protecting-our-children-from-rsv/
3. NCIRS, Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance.  Paediatric RSV in Australia. August 2025. Available at https://paeds.org.au/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/paediatric-rsv-australia
4. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Births, Australia, 2023. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2024. Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/births-australia/2023
5. Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. August 2025. Available at https://nindss.health.gov.au/pbi-dashboard/
6. Wadia U, et al. Effectiveness of nirsevimab in preventing RSV-hospitalisation among young children in Western Australia 2024. Journal of Infection. March 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2025.106466

 

 

About us:

About the Immunisation Foundation of Australia

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia was established by the family of Riley Hughes, who have become vocal advocates of immunisation after the death of their son from whooping cough in 2015. Believing in the importance of parents and community-members standing up to support immunisation, the foundation’s mission is to inspire further community-based immunisation advocacy, helping to protect babies and families from vaccine-preventable diseases.

 

In 2023, the Immunisation Foundation of Australia ran Australia’s first ever RSV Awareness Week, which encouraged families impacted by RSV to share their stories. The campaign was supported by Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic.

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia envisions a world where families are no longer affected by the unnecessary suffering and death caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. To help make this vision a reality, we are committed to creating a network of community-based immunisation champions, who share our common values of respect, integrity and evidence-based advocacy. 

 

Catherine Hughes, Founder and Director of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia

Catherine is the founder of the Immunisation Foundation of Australia and Light For Riley, established after the death of her son Riley from whooping cough in 2015. 

 

Only days after Riley's death, Catherine and husband Greg successfully advocated for the introduction of free whooping cough vaccines for pregnant women, resulting in a sharp increase in awareness of the impact of whooping cough on babies and up to 90 per cent of Australian pregnant women choosing to protect their babies during pregnancy.

 

In 2016, Catherine’s infant daughter Lucy was hospitalised with severe RSV. She says: “I won’t lie. We were consumed by thoughts of Riley and a foreboding sense of ‘not again’.” Catherine’s story can be accessed here. In 2022, Catherine was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to immunisation. 

Contact details:

Candice Hitchcock on 0466 586 758, [email protected]

Catherine Hughes on 0421 483 391

To arrange an interview with a medical expert or family impacted by RSV, please get in touch.