NHS emergency departments will be full of sick babies this winter unless the government sets out its plan to roll out a new vaccine against common insects, experts have warned.
It has been almost a year since the Government’s vaccination advisory group recommended an immunization program against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), best known for causing bronchiolitis, a lung infection in children.
There are currently three highly effective vaccines that protect patients against symptoms of the virus, including a vaccine given to pregnant women to help protect their babies.
However, the Government has not yet announced any plans to roll out an RSV vaccine in the NHS.
Experts now warn that health officials are running out of time to purchase the vaccine.
NHS emergency departments will be full of sick babies this winter unless the government sets out its plan to roll out a new vaccine against common insects, experts have warned (file photo)
It has been almost a year since the government’s vaccine advisory group recommended an immunization program against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), best known for causing lung infection bronchiolitis in children (file image).
RSV hospitalizes about 30,000 children and 18,000 adults each year.
While not usually life-threatening, the disease places a huge burden on the NHS because the majority of these cases typically occur within a six-week period, which can occur at any time between November and February.
This comes after a survey of 150 NHS doctors, carried out by pharmaceutical company Sanofi last week, found that three quarters of doctors believe childhood RSV places an “unsustainable burden” on pediatric services and prevents the NHS carry out elective procedures.
Almost 100 per cent of respondents agreed that the rollout of an RSV vaccine would reduce pressure on the NHS this winter.
In November last year, the charity Asthma and Lung UK called on the government to administer the jabs “as soon as possible”.
“We need to have this vaccine ready by this winter,” says Professor Harish Nair, chair of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Edinburgh.
“There is a lot of demand for these vaccines around the world and supply is limited, so it is crucial that the NHS procures them soon.”