RACGP calls for at-risk patients to receive RSV vaccine

The RACGP is urging federal, state, and territory governments to provide free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations to all at-risk groups, highlighting inconsistency across the country.
 
In the wake of RSV Awareness Week and as Australia surpasses 60,000 RSV cases this year, the RACGP is calling on governments to expand their programs to include all patients identified as being at risk in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
 
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said RSV hits hard every year, with serious and sometimes life-threatening consequences for babies, young children, seniors and patients with chronic health conditions. 
 
‘The Federal Government provides free vaccines for pregnant women to protect them and their babies. And state and territory governments have funded immunisation across the country for babies who do not already have protection from RSV through the mother’s vaccination,’ he said.
 
‘It has been very encouraging to see the Western Australian Government announce this week their RSV immunisation program will continue in 2026 to protect infants during the RSV season.
 
‘But at this stage free vaccines for other at-risk groups are not funded nationally and they vary from state to state. 
 
‘What we really need to see now is all vaccines recommended in the Australian Immunisation Handbook to be freely available for every at-risk group.’ 
 
Dr Wright said with more than half of reported cases occurring in babies and children aged under four and almost 20% occurring in patients over 60, ‘protecting these populations is crucial’. 
 
‘Federal and State Governments must cooperate to ensure all vulnerable groups can access the vaccine for free to keep them safe and reduce the spread of the disease,’ he said.
 
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