Update on RSV vaccination programme 2026 (WHC/2025/053)

Issue date: 

2 February 2026

Status:  

Compliance and Action

Category: 

Public Health 

Title: 

Expansion of RSV Vaccine Eligibility to Adults Aged 80+ and residents in a care home for older adults

Date of Expiry / Review: 

Not applicable

For Action by:

Chief Executives, Health Boards / Trusts
Vaccination Operational Leads, Health Boards / Trusts
Medical Directors, Health Boards / Trusts
Directors of Primary Care, Health Boards / Trusts
Nurse Executive Directors, Health Boards / Trusts
Chief Pharmacists, Health Boards / Trusts
Directors of Public Health, Health Boards / Trusts
Heads of Midwifery, Health Boards / Trusts
Executive Director of Public Health, Public Health Wales
Head Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme, Public Health Wales
Director of Vaccination Delivery, Vaccination Programme Wales, NHS Wales Performance and Improvement
Community Pharmacy Wales
General Practitioner Committee, Wales
General practitioners

Sender:  

Dr Keith Reid, Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Public Health)

Health, Social Care and Early Years Group Welsh Government Contact(s):

Vaccination Division, 
Welsh Government, 
Cathays Park, 
Cardiff 
CF10 3NQ 
Email: wg.vaccinationsprogrammeteam@gov.wales

Enclosures: 

None

I wrote to you in June 2024 with details of the planned implementation of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programme. At that time, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that the programme be limited to those between the ages of 75 and 79, and to pregnant women.

Since September 2024, RSV vaccination has been routinely available to older adults as they turn 75 years of age, with an initial catch up for those adults 75 years and over who had not yet attained 80 years of age.

The vaccine has been shown to have high effectiveness in protecting against hospitalisation with RSV in older adults. Findings from a study in England show a significant reduction in hospital admissions with RSV in adults aged 75 to 79 years old during the first RSV season following implementation of the programme. Additional UK studies highlighting the effectiveness of RSV vaccine in older adults are currently awaiting publication.

Following updated advice from the JCVI, published on 16 July 2025, the Welsh Government has agreed that from the 1 April 2026 the programme will be expanded.

Core principles

The forthcoming change from 1 April 2026 will expand the programme to: 

• all those aged 80 years and over (with no upper age limit)
• all residents in care homes for older adults 

This aligns with the criteria set out in chapter 27a of Immunisation against Infections Disease (the ‘Green book’), which should be referred to for any questions on patient eligibility. 

Where appropriate, vaccinators should consider opportunities for co-administration with COVID-19 as part of the spring campaign, due to start on the 13 of April 2026. 

Vaccinators should also consider opportunities to review the vaccination record of eligible individuals and identify any opportunities to deliver outstanding vaccinations (including for instance Shingles or Pneumococcal).

The routine delivery of individuals turning 75 years of age will continue and should remain a priority, as should opportunistic offers to anyone eligible who may have missed their vaccinations.

The vaccine used in the programme will continue to be Abrysvo® on a one dose schedule, and ordering will be via the Immform platform.

Programme start date and finish date

This expansion should be accompanied by a structured catch-up programme for this cohort to begin on the 1 April 2026, which will conclude no later than 30 June 2026. By which time all eligible individuals should have received an offer, and been able to attend an appointment, for their vaccination. 

Anyone who has not taken up their offer of vaccination during the catch-up campaign (by the 30^th of June) will remain eligible.

Programme expectations: maximising uptake and ensuring equity

Health boards should continue the ongoing work to increase vaccine uptake, reduce waste, and ensure fair access for everyone eligible. 

There is a need for a coordinated, equity-focused approach to vaccination, which addresses barriers and the diverse needs of underserved communities to ensure we achieve maximum reach. There has been some progress made across Wales in embedding equity into vaccination policy and practice, reflecting the ambitions of the National Immunisation Framework. However, inequalities in uptake persist and, in some areas, are worsening.

Equity needs to be built into the design and delivery of services, to promote universal accessibility, but with tailored interventions to understand and overcome the specific barriers faced by different population groups. Given this is an older cohort, health boards should ensure that RSV vaccination is made as easy and convenient as possible, with access offered close to home and through familiar local services.

With this in mind, we expect:

• All those eligible, to receive an invitation for an RSV vaccination in a timely manner through a proactive approach using robust call, recall and reminder systems. This may include through direct contact by phone call, email, text or otherwise (determined at a local level). All eligible individuals should be invited, and receive their RSV vaccination before the 30^th of June.
• Where issues with access or challenges persist with uptake, a system wide approach must be developed to overcome them and, where applicable,  primary care contractors should escalate to health board level.
• Health boards should make every effort to maximise uptake across all groups, with a particular focus on ensuring vaccination equity, for example, by seeking to ensure uptake rates are similar in the least and most deprived areas of the health board
• The RSV vaccination programme will continue to be recorded through use of the Welsh Immunisation System (WIS). Data on single dose coverage of the RSV vaccination will be collected automatically through WIS to support programme delivery and intelligence on vaccination uptake and reported monthly.
• Implementation and performance of the programme will be reviewed regularly, to ensure alignment against the programme’s goals.

I recognise that Health Boards and GP practices have been dedicated in implementing the newer RSV programme alongside other winter vaccine programmes. This expansion of the cohort will be crucial in protecting the health of our vulnerable population and mitigate the strain that RSV places on primary and secondary care services for future winter seasons.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Keith Reid
Deputy Chief Medical Officer (Public Health)