Denmark launches nationwide RSV vaccine policy for pregnant people

Hospital admissions drop sharply

Epidemiologist Caroline Klint Johannesen at Nordsjællands Hospital in Hilleroed found that infant hospital admissions plummeted after the policy started. She recalled a colleague noting there were too few people in hospitals with respiratory syncytial virus last winter. Newborns at high risk of severe disease received injections of monoclonal antibodies if their mothers had not been vaccinated. This approach protects babies for around the first six months of their lives when they are most vulnerable.

Global death toll remains high

The World Health Organization estimates that roughly 3.6 million children under five years old are hospitalized annually by this virus. About 100,000 of these children die each year, with 97 percent of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from the United States indicate that 10,000 to 25,000 deaths occurred in recent winters. Over age 60, hospitalizations and mortality increase significantly especially for those with chronic heart or lung conditions.

New treatments offer hope

Multiple new choices for adults appeared after European regulators granted approval in 2022 for nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody that targets RSV. Three vaccines and a second antibody are now available for use in older populations alongside the maternal vaccine. Buddy Creech a paediatrician at Vanderbilt University says it is remarkable to move from no prevention mechanism to an embarrassment of riches. Numerous nations spanning Europe, Asia, as well as North and South America have initiated diverse vaccination initiatives utilizing these novel instruments.