Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure the RSV vaccine is free of charge for people over 80.

In line with independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes were introduced in England in September 2024 to protect infants, via maternal vaccination, and older adults at the greatest risk of harm from RSV infection. The routine RSV programme for older adults offers vaccination to those turning 75 years old on or after 1 September 2024, alongside a catch-up programme to vaccinate those aged between 75 and 79 years old on 1 September 2024. These individuals will remain eligible until the day before their 80th birthday, except for people who turn 80 years old in the first year, who have until 31 August 2025 to get vaccinated.

When advising on the introduction of the RSV programmes, the JCVI said that an extension to the initial programmes would be considered when there was more certainty about protection for patients at higher risk of severe illness from RSV, including people aged 80 years old and older, and the real-world impact of the programme for 75 to 80 year olds.

At its October 2024 main committee meeting, the JCVI agreed that it would need to formally review the evidence for a potential extension to the programme for people aged 80 years old and older, and for those in clinical risk groups. During the main committee meeting of 5 February 2025, the JCVI noted that it planned further discussions on potential advice towards extending the programme to those over 80 years of age. The minutes from JCVI meetings are publicly available online, at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation.

The JCVI will continue to review the necessary scientific evidence once it is available, and the Department will consider any further JCVI advice on who should be offered an RSV vaccine in due course.