UK maternal RSV vaccination shows effectiveness but faces access and confidence gaps

While the UK’s maternal RSV vaccination programme is effective, disparities in access, timing, and confidence threaten to limit its full potential, highlighting the need for streamlined information, routine integration, and logistical improvements.

Three UK studies suggest the country’s maternal RSV vaccination programme is doing what it was designed to do, but also show that access, timing and confidence remain major hurdles. Government figures for England up to April 2026 put uptake at 62.1% among women who gave birth that month, with wide regional differences: 72.9% in the South West versus 52.3% in London. The gap was also marked across ethnic groups, underscoring that rollout has not reached all families equally.

A qualitative study in the journal Vaccine found that most mothers interviewed in England had at least heard of RSV, although understanding of the virus varied. Social media, especially TikTok and Instagram, played a role in raising awareness, but women did not regard it as a trusted source for vaccine advice. After seeing NHS material, most said they would accept the vaccine in a current or future pregnancy, mainly to protect their baby. They wanted clearer information earlier in pregnancy, plus the chance to discuss it with a midwife, and many preferred vaccination to be offered during routine antenatal appointments rather than through a separate GP visit.

A separate study published in Archives of Disease in Childhood found that access problems were the most common reason mothers gave for not receiving the jab. Among 388 eligible mothers whose infants were later hospitalised with bronchiolitis, lower respiratory tract infection or acute wheeze, 54% cited barriers such as not being offered the vaccine, being offered it too late, or facing practical problems with appointments, location or stock. Nearly a third said they had not been given enough information, while some raised safety concerns about a newly introduced vaccine. The authors said RSV education should become part of routine antenatal care and that services need to remove logistical barriers if uptake is to improve.

Real-world effectiveness data are encouraging. In The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, researchers reported that maternal RSVpreF vaccination reduced the risk of hospital admission for RSV-related acute lower respiratory tract infection by 61% through six months of age, rising to 76% through three months. The estimate came from a prospective study at 37 UK hospitals during the 2025/26 season. When the wider infant prevention programme was considered, including nirsevimab for some babies, effectiveness against RSV-related hospitalisation was also 61%. Study coordinator Shaun O’Hagan said the findings showed that vaccination in pregnancy “greatly reduced the risk of babies being admitted to hospital with RSV-related respiratory illness”, but added that population-level benefit depends on higher uptake. Taken together, the studies point to a clear message: the vaccine works, but better information, easier access and more consistent delivery will determine how much of that benefit reaches babies.