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Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

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RSV is a common respiratory virus that generally causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms. Most cases recover after 2-3 weeks of illness, but RSV can cause severe illness in some people, including newborns, infants and older adults, leading to complications and hospitalisation.

These learning resources have been designed to help equip registered healthcare practitioners with the essential knowledge and skills needed to effectively deliver the RSV immunisation programmes.  

Whether you are new to RSV vaccination or seeking to enhance your expertise, these materials provide up-to-date guidance, best practices, and key insights to support safe and effective immunisation.

Learning Resources

Please note:  These educational resources continue to be updated as required to support this programme but do not replace the clinical judgement of practitioners. Practitioners should refer to the UK Health Security Agency Green Book Chapter when administering the vaccine 

Protecting Infants Against RSV (Maternal) Vaccination Programme

This resource aims to help support healthcare practitioners to safely and effectively administer RSV Vaccine to protect infants. By working through this resource, you will be able to:

  • Explain the policy decisions in relation to the RSV immunisation programme in Scotland
  • Explain how maternal RSV vaccination and the selective infant monoclonal antibody programme work together to protect infants from severe RSV disease
  • Describe the safety and efficacy of the RSV vaccine
  • List the constituents of the vaccine
  • Describe how the RSV Vaccine should be stored and handled
  • Describe how the vaccine should be prepared for use and administered
  • Recognise how to sign-post to further information
RSV Vaccination Programme to Protect Older Adults

The aim of this resource is to help support healthcare practitioners to safely and effectively administer RSV Vaccine to protect older adults. By working through this resource, you will be able to:

  • Explain the policy decisions in relation to the RSV immunisation programme in Scotland
  • Describe the safety and efficacy of the RSV vaccine
  • List the constituents of the vaccine
  • Describe how the RSV Vaccine should be stored and handled
  • Describe how the vaccine should be prepared for use and administered

  • Recognise how to sign-post further information

     

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation programme to protect older adults

Instructional video of the storage and preparation for the administration of Abrysvo®
Image with Hyperlink to video

NOTE, this video demonstrates preparation of the vaccine using the needle provided within the vaccine pack. NHS Boards may be using additional safety needles for administration, practitioners should check locally.

RSV monoclonal antibody programme for at risk babies

To help healthcare practitioners to gain knowledge and skills in relation to the monoclonal antibody programme for select infants at high risk of severe disease following RSV infection.  By working through this resource, you will be able to:

  • Describe which infants are at high risk of severe disease following RSV infection and are eligible for immunisation with monoclonal antibodies
  • Explain how administration of a monoclonal antibody can help protect an at risk infant from severe disease following RSV infection
  • List the monoclonal antibodies available for passive immunisation
  • Explain the timing of the offer of the monoclonal antibody immunisation
  • Describe the dosage and administration of the monoclonal antibody preparations
Additional Resources