US real-world evidence shows maternal vaccination and infant immunisation can substantially reduce severe RSV illness, intensifying calls for New Zealand to fund protection already approved for babies.
News from the United States is adding momentum to the case for wider access to respiratory syncytial virus prevention for babies, with fresh real-world evidence suggesting that both maternal vaccination and infant immunisation can sharply reduce the risk of severe illness. A study published in Pediatrics found that the two approaches were effective in preventing emergency department visits and hospital admissions during infants’ first RSV season, while the CDC has said nirsevimab, the long-acting monoclonal antibody used in newborns and infants, has shown strong protection against RSV-associated hospitalisation.
That evidence is particularly relevant for New Zealand, where RSV remains a major winter strain on family health and paediatric services. The country’s leading respiratory charities say RSV is a common virus that can cause bronchiolitis in very young children, sometimes leading to serious breathing problems and the need for hospital care. They argue that the burden falls heavily on primary care, emergency departments and paediatric wards each winter, and that the emergence of preventive tools should reduce that pressure if they are made available widely.
In New Zealand, nirsevimab has already been approved by Medsafe, according to the Cardiac and Respiratory Foundation NZ, but it is still not funded for routine use. The maternal RSV vaccine, meanwhile, is also awaiting Medsafe approval. Under New Zealand’s immunisation process, vaccines are assessed for safety, efficacy and quality before approval, with continuing monitoring after rollout, but approval alone does not guarantee public funding.
Advocates say the latest overseas data should strengthen the argument for action. The Foundation has pointed to evidence that both products can offer similar levels of protection for infants, while the CDC says RSV vaccines and related products are part of a broader effort to prevent severe disease in infants and older adults. With 60 countries now including one or both RSV prevention options in national immunisation programmes, New Zealand is increasingly being cast as an outlier, even as the science behind prevention becomes more robust.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
