Doctors have shared insights after the first season of RSV vaccines being approved. While the vaccine has successfully prevented serious illness in older adults, only 24% of eligible US adults chose to get it—far below the nearly 50% rate for flu vaccines. Improved public awareness and easier access to vaccines are crucial for increasing this number.
Since their debut last year, researchers have been closely examining the real-world effects of the newly approved respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. In a recent commentary published in The Lancet, Angela Branche, MD, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), outlines the findings from the vaccine’s first season.
“The evidence is unmistakable; people who have conditions that put them at risk for severe disease should be vaccinated. For older adults and individuals with chronic health issues, RSV should be regarded with the same seriousness as the flu, so vaccination is advised,” stated Branche.
RSV is a major contributor to severe respiratory illnesses in older adults, particularly those with existing health problems. It leads to millions of infections, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of deaths each year worldwide among adults aged 60 and above. In the US, there are significant numbers of RSV-related hospital visits, ICU admissions, and fatalities among adults over 65. Those with RSV are at a higher risk of serious illness compared to patients with influenza or COVID-19.
Vaccines Guard Against Severe Symptoms and Reduce Hospital Visits
This year, the FDA approved three RSV vaccines for older adults. Research demonstrated that these vaccines are effective, preventing RSV pneumonia and bronchitis in over 80% of those vaccinated with the Pfizer, GSK, and Moderna products.
A recent study published in The Lancet evaluated the effectiveness of RSV vaccines by analyzing data from an extensive electronic health record network involving the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and several US healthcare systems. The research determined that RSV vaccines were 80% effective in averting hospitalization, ICU admission, and death among adults aged 60 and older. The effectiveness remained consistent across different age groups, including those over 75, as well as among immunocompromised individuals. The study found no indication that vaccine protection waned during the season.
Nevertheless, uptake of the RSV vaccine during the 2023-2024 winter season was low, with only an estimated 24% of US adults aged 60 and older being vaccinated, compared to nearly 50% vaccination rates for influenza in the same demographic. “Providers were uncertain about how to implement the shared clinical decision-making guidelines in the initial season, and there’s still a general lack of understanding among medical professionals and the public regarding what defines a risk for severe disease and who needs protection,” explained Branche.
Increasing Vaccination Rates and Developing Better Vaccines
In light of these findings, the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), a panel of medical and public health experts advising the CDC, updated its guidelines in June 2024 to advocate for RSV vaccination for all adults aged 75 and older, and for those aged 60 and above residing in long-term care facilities or with chronic and high-risk medical conditions.
Emerging research suggests that bivalent vaccines, which target multiple strains of the RSV virus, may offer longer-lasting protection. URMC infectious disease specialists Edward Walsh, MD, and Ann Falsey, MD, were involved in an international study for a bivalent RSV vaccine developed by Pfizer, with findings recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This vaccine successfully prevented serious RSV-related lower respiratory tract illnesses across two RSV seasons, achieving an overall efficacy of over 80%. The experimental vaccine showed notable effectiveness in individuals aged 60-79.
