Respiratory syncyial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that can cause serious lung conditions.

It is common over the winter period, typically November to February. While the symptoms are mild for many, RSV accounts for around 30,000 hospitalisations of children under 5 in the UK annually, and for 20 to 30 infant deaths.

RSV can also be severe in older adults, causing pneumonia and flare-ups of existing lung disease and other long-term conditions. It causes around 9,000 hospitalisations in those aged over 75 in the UK each year.

From September 2024 the NHS will offer a vaccination to protect adults over the age of 75 and pregnant women.

Pregnant women who are 28 weeks pregnant or more should speak to their maternity team about getting vaccinated – it could save your child’s life.

Those aged 75 to 79 will be invited by their general practice and  should come forward as soon as they are invited for their vaccination.

If you are pregnant, visit the dedicated Maternity Matters website which gives even more information on pregnancy and vaccinations.

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is an infection of the lungs and breathing tubes.

It spreads very easily and can be serious. Whooping cough is sometimes known as the 100-day cough because of how long it takes to recover from it.

Babies under 3 months old who are not fully protected through immunisation are at the highest risk of developing severe complications including pauses in breathing (apnoea), dehydration, pneumonia, or seizures.

It’s important for pregnant women to get vaccinated against whooping cough, ideally between 20 to 32 weeks of pregnancy.

Vaccinating pregnant women allows the protection to pass to their unborn baby in the womb so that babies are protected from birth in their first months of life.

The vaccination of pregnant women has been shown to be over 90% effective in preventing whooping cough cases and hospital admissions in young babies and in preventing deaths.

Your child can then receive their own vaccination from 8 weeks of age. The whooping cough vaccination is routinely given as part of the:

• 6-in-1 vaccine – for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks
• 4-in-1 pre-school booster – for children aged 3 years 4 months

It’s vital to make sure your child has all the routine NHS vaccinations. 

You will normally receive your whooping cough (pertussis) vaccination around the time of your mid-pregnancy scan, around 20 weeks, but you can receive it from 16-weeks’ up to 32-weeks’ gestation. If you have reached 20 weeks of pregnancy and have not yet been offered the whooping cough vaccine, please ask your midwife.

Check the red book or contact your general practice surgery to check if your child has had this vital vaccination.

If you are pregnant, visit the dedicated Maternity Matters website which gives even more information on pregnancy and vaccinations.

Measles, mumps and rubella  (MMR) are three infections that can spread easily between people and can lead to serious problems including meningitis, blindness and hearing loss.

If you are pregnant, getting measles can cause premature birth, miscarriage or still birth. And getting rubella can cause serious problems for your baby such as damage to their sight and hearing.

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is a routine childhood vaccination, so most children will be vaccinated against measles.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine gives you long-term protection.

Having this vaccination also helps protect people who cannot be vaccinated, such as unborn babies, newborn babies and anyone with a weakened immune system.

Check the red book or contact your general practice surgery to check if you child has had this vital vaccination. If you did not have this vaccination as a child, adults can also have it.

If you or your child have missed one or both MMR doses, you can catch up at any age.

Contact your general practice surgery to book your free appointment, or check with them if you aren’t sure if you have had the MMR vaccination.

A pneumococcal infection can affect anyone. Some people are at higher risk of serious illness including babies, adults aged 65 and over, and children and adults with certain long-term health conditions.

Your general practice surgery will usually contact you if you or your child are eligible for the pneumococcal vaccination. This will usually be by letter, text, phone call or email.

Shingles is a common condition that causes a painful rash. It can sometimes lead to serious problems such as long-lasting pain, hearing loss or blindness.

Your general practice surgery will usually contact you when you become eligible for the shingles vaccine. This will usually be by letter, text message, phone or email.