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Respiratory syncytial virus has overtaken influenza as Australia’s most common respiratory virus this winter for the first time since national reporting began, prompting renewed calls for older Australians to get vaccinated.
Health experts are urging eligible West Australians to take advantage of free RSV vaccines as infections continue to climb, warning the virus can lead to serious illness, hospitalisation and even death in older people.
Perth woman Diana Hamersley, 82, knows the risks firsthand, having spent six weeks last year recovering from the virus, which she said was worse than COVID-19.
“I found it very debilitating,” Hamersley said.
“I was in bed, feeling very unwell. I coughed constantly day and night, and it was extremely tiring. It stopped me from doing the things I normally do for a number of weeks.”
She is encouraging others to take up the government’s RSV vaccine offer.
“I wouldn’t want to have it again. I would encourage anyone else to do the same, particularly people of my age.”
A new Mid-Winter RSV Report Card from the Immunisation Foundation of Australia found more than 83,000 cases have already been recorded nationwide this year, with almost 900 new infections being reported every day since winter began.
The report also found RSV has surpassed both influenza and COVID-19 as Australia’s leading respiratory virus this winter – the first time it has done so since the disease became nationally reportable in 2021.
Despite the rise in cases, vaccine uptake remains well behind influenza.
More than 1.76 million eligible older Australians have received a flu vaccine this year, compared with just 722,530 who have received the free RSV vaccine, leaving more than one million eligible people still unprotected.
Immunisation Foundation of Australia founder and executive director Catherine Hughes said the gap was largely due to the RSV vaccine only becoming free for older Australians two months ago.
“We’ve only had this vaccine available for free for older Australians for two months, so we’ve seen over 700,000 people roll up their sleeves, which is a great start,” she said.
“But there’s still some work to be done to make sure older Australians are getting the protection they need.”
Hughes said many people were also unaware they could receive their RSV and influenza vaccines at the same appointment.
Before the vaccine became free, it cost about $300 a dose.
“We used to get a lot of older Australians emailing us saying they had to choose between getting their groceries that week or getting an RSV vaccine,” Ms Hughes said.
In WA, 5044 RSV cases have been recorded so far this year, with 4172 – about 82 per cent – in the Perth metropolitan area. The South West has recorded 349 cases, while the Kimberley has reported 198.
RSV infects the lungs and airways and commonly causes coughing, fever, runny nose and breathing difficulties. While many people experience mild symptoms, it can quickly become severe in older adults, infants and people with underlying health conditions.
Australian Medical Association WA president Dr Kyle Hoath said the virus was often mistaken for a common cold or influenza but carried a greater risk of complications.
“RSV can be deadly if it leads to pneumonia in somebody who is vulnerable, and that’s ultimately what we’re trying to avoid here,” he said.
“Every time we see cases of RSV in nursing homes and vulnerable parts of our community, we’re going to see increased hospitalisations.”
On average, RSV causes almost 28,000 hospitalisations and about 500 deaths across Australia each year.
Juniper chief executive Russell Bricknell said vaccination had helped limit outbreaks across the aged care provider’s Perth residential homes this winter.
“We’ve worked closely with local GPs and pharmacies to provide vaccination clinics and opportunities in our residential aged care homes, making it as easy as possible for residents to access free immunisations,” Bricknell said.
“So far this winter we’ve only seen a small number of RSV cases across our Perth residential aged care homes. Those cases were contained quickly with little or no spread, which is an excellent outcome and reflects the importance of vaccination, strong infection prevention measures and the dedication of our staff.”
Free RSV vaccinations are available for Australians aged 75 years and over, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and over.
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