HSE urges parents of young babies in Donegal to avail of RSV vaccination - Highland Radio - Latest Donegal News and Sport (2026)

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• August 29, 2025

The HSE is urging parents of children born between March 1st and the end of this month to avail of RSV immunisation.

From this coming Monday, it will be offered to newborns, but now for the first time, it’s being offered in the community.

RSV is a largely seasonal respiratory illness that can affect any age group, but can be particularly impactful on very young children under the age of two.

Dr Anthony Breslin says there has traditionally been a lower uptake of immunisation and vaccination in North Donegal than elsewhere in the region, and he’s anxious that parents avail of the programme………..

Release in full –

The HSE is building on last winter’s very successful RSV immunisation programme which was delivered to new born babies in maternity settings and higher risk babies in the community. The programmesignificantly reduced infections, serious illness and hospitalisations.

Headline statistics from the programme include:

• Almost 22,500 babies were immunised.
• 83% of those offered immunisation accepted it for their babies
• Among those immunised (compared to similar babies the previous year who were not immunised), there was a significant decrease in the impact of RSV including:
  • 65% reduction in total number of cases
  • 57% reduction in cases presenting to emergency departments;
  • 76% reduction in babies requiring hospitalisation
  • 65% reduction in babies needing intensive care due to complications of RSV

This winter season the HSE will once again offer RSV immunisation in maternity settings to all babies born in Ireland from 1^stSeptember 2025 to 28^thFebruary 2026 as well as extending the programme to all babies in Ireland born in the six month period from 1^stMarch 2025 to 31^stAugust 2025 across various community sites.

Every winter RSV infection causes hospitalisations, including in some serious illness, especially among young infants says HSE National Director for Health Protection, Dr Éamonn O’Moore.

“Before the introduction of the programme,each winter, four out of every 100 infants were hospitalised due to RSV, with some infants needing special treatment in intensive care units. A further 50 out of every 100 infants got RSV and many needed medical care from their GP, or the emergency department of a children’s hospital.”

Regional Director of Public Health, Dr Áine McNamara said “I would strongly encourage parents of all eligible babies to take up the offer when the programme begins in September.

Parents of babies born from 1^stMarch to 31^stAugust can book an appointment at a local community site from Monday 25^thAugust on the RSV Immunisation page of theHSE websitehttps://www2.hse.ie/conditions/rsv/immunisation/

It is important to note thatappointments will only be available from 1st September and until first week in October 2025. Parents and guardians are advised to book early to ensure their child is protected ahead of any surge in RSV infections later in the autumn/winter.

Parents of babies born from 1^stSeptember to 28^thFebruary 2026 will be offered the immunisation before they leave the maternity hospital.

“The immunisation – called nirsevimab – is strongly recommended by the HSE and the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and has been approved by the European Medicines Agency. Nirsevimab starts working as soon as the baby receives the injection and protects against RSV for 150 days, covering the very early period in a baby’s life when they are most vulnerable to serious RSV related illness.

“As well as protecting young babies against serious illness, the RSV immunisation programme will help safeguard vital hospital paediatric services during the very busy winter months by limiting preventable admissions caused by RSV related illness.”

The immunisation is provided free of charge and will protect them against RSV throughout the winter. It will also help our hospitals by stopping babies getting sick with an avoidable illness so they won’t need hospital or medical treatment which was the case in previous years.

RSV is a largely seasonal respiratory illness that can affect any age group but can be particularly impactful on very young children. RSV is a significant cause of severe respiratory illness among children under two years of age and is also the most common cause of hospital admissions due to acute respiratory illness in young children. It can cause chest infections like bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) in infants and

the risk is highest in children aged less than six months of age. The RSV immunisation programme is being delivered by trained midwives in all maternity settings after birth and before the baby is discharged and by vaccination teams in the community for children born since March 1st as well as at home for higher risk babies (including those who are premature)