England’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programme has achieved a ‘significant’ reduction in hospital admissions among older people, a new study has found.

Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), published in The Lancet this week, indicated 30% fewer hospital admissions in 75 to 79-year-olds – who are eligible for the RSV vaccine – than would have occurred without vaccination.

Latest data showed that around 40% of eligible older people took up the RSV vaccine this winter, since the national programme started in September.

This UKHSA analysis in England follows a similar study in Scotland which showed a 62% reduction in RSV-related hospitalisations among older people.

The RSV programme is open to pregnant women over 28 weeks and people aged 75 to 79 in all four nations of the UK, making it the first country in the world to have a national RSV immunisation programme that uses the same vaccine to protect newborns and older people.

UKHSA said its new findings ‘demonstrate the effectiveness’ of the vaccine among older people, noting that the agency will also evaluate infant RSV admissions prevented by the maternal programme.

Consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA Dr Conall Watson said the study ‘clearly demonstrates the excellent benefit of RSV vaccination for older people in avoiding severe illness’.

He continued: ‘We are still in the early stages of the RSV programme roll out and the benefits will increase as more people take up their vaccine, including those newly turning 75.’

UKHSA also highlighted that there is still ‘significant opportunity to increase protection’ with more than one million people yet to receive their RSV vaccination.

Minister for public health and prevention Ashley Dalton said the results were ‘incredibly encouraging’, but urged more of those who are eligible to come forward.

‘The evidence is clear: this vaccine works and is helping protect vulnerable groups while reducing pressure on our NHS,’ she added.

GP data collected by UKHSA also showed that 39% of women giving birth in England in October had received an RSK vaccine.

This article was first published by our sister title Pulse.