The Hon Mark Butler MP
Minister for Health

From 3 February 2025, Australian mums and their newborn babies will have free access to the best and most comprehensive protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
 
The Australian Government is investing $174.5 million to give eligible pregnant women free access to the RSV vaccine, Abrysvo®, under the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
 
The free maternal RSV vaccine will be available to women who are 28 to 36 weeks pregnant, to protect their newborn babies from serious illness.
 
Without subsidy, Australians could expect to pay $300 for the vaccine.
 
RSV is a common respiratory virus that affects the nose, throat and lungs.

Almost all infants will be infected with RSV before the age of two, with around 12,000 babies admitted to hospital each year with severe RSV. It is a leading cause of hospitalisation of babies in Australia.
 
Maternal immunisation reduces the risk of severe RSV disease in infants under 6 months of age by about 70 per cent.
 
These immunisations will slash hospitalisation rates and keep an estimated 10,000 infants out of hospital each year.
 
Pregnant women can safely receive the RSV vaccine at the same time as other free and recommended maternal vaccines, influenza and whooping cough, which are already available for free on the NIP for pregnant women.
 
To ensure that every single Australian baby is protected, the Australian Government has worked with all States and Territories to support national access to the monoclonal antibody, Beyfortus™, which provides direct protection to newborns and young children. The Commonwealth has brought together a national working group to support this work.
 
To learn more about the recommended guidance on RSV by the ATAGI, click here to access the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

As at 19 January 2025.