Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation

National RSV Mother & Infant Protection Program (RSV-MIPP)

A nationally consistent immunisation program for mothers and babies will be established in 2025 to protect infants from Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). The National RSV Mother and Infant Protection Program (RSV-MIPP) will offer immunisation products to pregnant women, and infants at increased risk of severe RSV.

Vaccination for pregnant women

A single dose of the RSV vaccine, Abrysvo®, will be provided to pregnant women between 28-36 weeks of their pregnancy under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Maternal RSV vaccine is administered to protect newborn infants, through the passing of RSV-specific antibodies from the mother to the unborn baby.

The RSV-MIPP will prioritise uptake of the maternal RSV vaccine, to provide the baby with passive protection against RSV during the first six months of infancy.

Note - Abrysvo® is the only RSV vaccine approved for use in pregnant women.

Infant immunisation

The Victorian Department of Health will implement a complimentary infant RSV immunisation program to protect infants most at risk from severe RSV disease. The program will run from 1 April to 30 September 2025.

Under the new program, a free long-acting RSV monoclonal antibody, Beyfortus™ (nirsevimab), will be offered to eligible infants and young children. Refer to the table below for detailed eligibility criteria for the infant immunisation:

Please monitor this webpage for information and updates on the program implementation details including eligibility criteria, stock availability and clinical guidance.

Clinical recommendations for RSV immunisation

Immunisers should refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook’s Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) chapter.

Adverse Events Following Immunisation

Immunisation providers should report any adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook to find out more about common and rare AEFI of RSV vaccines.

Unexpected or serious AEFI should be reported to SAEFVIC, Victoria’s safety surveillance partner. Refer to Adverse Events following Immunisation (AEFI) reporting.

RSV vaccine administration errors

Learn how to avoid vaccine errors and establish practices that can identify report and manager vaccine errors. Refer to Vaccine error management.

Storage, handling and preparation of RSV vaccine

Immunisation providers must store and handle all vaccines according to the National Vaccine Storage Guidelines ‘Strive for 5'

• Store RSV vaccines and monoclonal antibodies in the original package to protect the product from light.
• Abrysvo® vaccine must be reconstituted prior to administration. Special instructions are provided for the diluent and vial adaptor required for Abrysvo® vaccine.
• Refer to Abrysvo® product information for more information.

Report to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

It is mandatory to report all NIP immunisations, including Abrysvo® to the AIR. Additionally, providers are strongly encouraged to record all Beyfortus™ immunisations given on the AIR.

Ensure you use the correct patient details, vaccine code (ABRSV, AREXVY or BFRSV as relevant, avoid using generic RSV codes), batch number, vaccine type field (NIP/Commonwealth, Antenatal or Other as appropriate, see table below), antenatal status (see below) and route of administration.

Please refer to the Uploading to AIR factsheet for full details.

Reporting to AIR manually

When manually reporting to AIR, ensure encounters are recorded under the provider number associated with your service. For encounters conducted by another individual within your service, select "I performed this encounter" as you are representing the broader service.

Only use the "Another provider performed this encounter in Australia" option for historical encounters administered by a different service.

Antenatal and Vaccine Type fields

A new bespoke antenatal indictor has been added to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). This allows immunisation providers to report to the AIR if the person is pregnant at the time of vaccine administration.

Improvements have been made to the ‘vaccine type’ field to simplify the reporting options. The ‘Private’ and ‘State funded’ options have been replaced with ‘Other’.

Maternal immunisation is critical in protecting pregnant women and their babies from serious illness and severe complications from vaccine preventable diseases. The collection of antenatal data is important as it ensures that the AIR contains a complete and reliable dataset to enable the monitoring of:

• immunisation coverage and administration; and
• the effectiveness and safety of maternal vaccines and vaccination programs, such as the National Immunisation Program (NIP), influenza and other respiratory vaccines and programs.

Immunisation providers wanting to know when these changes will be available with their clinical software are encouraged to speak with their software provider.

Further information can be found at the Using the Australian Immunisation Register webpage.

Authorised RSV Immunisers in Victoria

Nurse immunisers, pharmacist immunisers, intern pharmacist immunisers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioner (ATSIHP) immunisers in Victoria are authorised to possess and administer Schedule 4 poisons via Secretary Approvals made under the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Regulations 2017.

The RSV vaccine these immunisers are authorised to possess and administer is listed below.

Work is currently underway to review and authorise the immunisation workforces required to administer nirsevimab as part of the RSV-MIPP.

Immunisers must always refer to their relevant Secretary Approval for the conditions associated with administration of the approved Arexvy or Abrysvo® RSV vaccines.

All immunisers must maintain competence and operate within their individual scope of practice by ensuring that they have the knowledge, skills and currency of practice for all immunisations that they provide.