Patients at Frome Medical Practice are being invited to book their RSV vaccine, which is available to certain groups of patients.
The RSV vaccine helps protect against complications from the respiratory syncytial virus (often referred to as RSV), a common cause of coughs and colds.
Dr Nick Hopkins, GP Partner at Frome Medical Practice, said, “It’s not unusual for people to get the RSV virus several times in their life and it usually gets better by itself, but for some groups of patients it can be more serious, leading to illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchiolitis.
“Patients are eligible for a free RSV vaccine on the NHS if they are aged 75 to 79 years old or turned 80 years old after 1st September 2024. Women who are 28 weeks or more pregnant can also get the vaccine.
“The uptake for the RSV vaccine in our eligible group of patients has been low, so we want to raise awareness of the importance of taking up our invitation to be vaccinated. Certain groups of patients are at an increased risk of serious illness from RSV, including babies under six months old and adults over 75 years old. The complications of RSV in these groups can require hospital treatment and can be life-threatening. We want to avoid this for our patients and would encourage you to book your vaccination appointment as soon as possible.”
If you are 75 to 79 years old or turned 80 years old after 1st September 2024 and are registered at Frome Medical Practice, you can book your vaccine by calling 01373 301301.
Nick said, “Women who are pregnant should be offered the RSV vaccine around the time of their 28-week antenatal appointment, as getting vaccinated as soon as possible from this point in pregnancy provides the best protection for a baby. However, the vaccine can be given later in pregnancy if needed.
“There are other ways for everyone to reduce the risk of RSV, including: Regular hand washing, avoiding close contact with people who are well, keeping surfaces clean, and covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.”
You can find out more about RSV and the RSV vaccine on the NHS website here https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/
