Don’t go unprotected this winter
To coincide with RSV Awareness Week, we issued a public reminder of the importance of speaking to a GP about vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus.
While a common seasonal virus, RSV can cause serious complications, hospitalisation, and death among babies, older Australians, and people at higher risk of severe illness.
Our media release urged Australians not to underestimate the risks of RSV, to make use of the availability of vaccines, and reminded them to speak to their regular GP about any questions or concerns.
The effectiveness of the RSV vaccine is evident.
Since the maternal RSV vaccine was first made available in February 2025, more than 225,000 mothers have received it. That has resulted in a drop of more than 9 per cent in RSV cases among young children (from 86,000 in 2024 to 78,000 in 2025).
The availability of RSV vaccination was further bolstered in May this year, when the federal government included it in the National Immunisation Program for people aged 75 and over.
The AMA’s national Have the Jab Chat campaign continues to encourage people who aren’t sure about vaccines to have a conversation with their trusted GP. It is important that medical advice is trusted, qualified, and personalised, and that is what GPs bring to the communities they serve.
