The new RSV vaccine for babies has been hailed as a “gamechanger” for paediatric healthcare.
RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common virus which leads to coughs and colds.
While most cases are mild, it can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia in babies and usually hundreds are hospitalised every year.
Last year, the Department of Health announced it has secured the funding to offer the new RSV vaccine to young babies.
On Newstalk Breakfast, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ellen Crushell explained why parents are being encouraged to book an appointment for their child.
“In your eyes, it might just cause a cold,” she said.
“But in babies - and babies are particularly susceptible to it - they can get a cough, fever and some babies can get breathless, it interferes with their feeding.
“They may need to go to hospital, end up requiring oxygen and, at the most severe end of the spectrum, requiring transfer to ICU.”
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At one point in the run up to Christmas in 2023, there were 368 people in hospital with RSV, of whom 39 were children in intensive care.
The new vaccine means those numbers should come down significantly this year.
“I’m a paediatrician also and I think I speak for all of those involved in paediatric care that this is a real gamechanger,” Dr Crushell said.
“For the baby and the family who will hopefully avoid getting sick and ending up in hospital, but also for the services.
“Every year, every single paediatric community in the country is very busy with babies who are sick with bronchiolitis due to RSV.
“Last year, the campaign was run for newborns from September to the end of February and we saw a significant reduction in hospitalisations and ICU admissions.
“As well as a reduction in the whole community of RSV among babies - which is really, really welcome.”

All babies born between 1st September and the end of February 2026 will be offered the vaccine as a matter of routine.
“Those babies in the maternity units will be offered the opportunity to receive it there before they go home from the maternity unit,” Dr Crushell said.
“The other group, the group that were born after 1st March this year, they’ll be able to avail of it in the community clinics which have been set up as by the HSE.
“There’ll be more details on this on the HSE website in the coming days.”
Parents will be able to book their child’s vaccine through a booking portal.
Main image: A pediatrician giving a vaccine to a baby lying on his back. Picture by: Alamy.com.