Free Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccine available for eligible pregnant women

July 9, 2026

A free vaccine to help protect babies against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is available for eligible pregnant women in Australia.

RSV is a common virus that affects the airways and lungs and can lead to serious respiratory illnesses in newborns and infants, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

The RSV vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for women from 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Vaccination during pregnancy is recommended to help protect babies from birth. Research shows it can reduce the risk of severe RSV illness in babies under six months of age by 70%.

These immunisations will reduce hospitalisation rates and keep an estimated 10,000 infants out of hospital each year.

Pregnant women can safely receive the maternal RSV vaccine at the same time as the recommended influenza and whooping cough vaccines, which are available free under the NIP for eligible pregnant women.

Healthcare providers are encouraged to discuss maternal RSV vaccination with pregnant patients, including its safety, effectiveness, and role in protecting infants from birth.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has also released a suite of community awareness resources to share with patients.

Learn more Access resource kit

Latest news

New My Health Record Security and Access Policy template now available

September 23, 2026
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), in partnership with the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), has released an updated My Health Record Security and Access template to help healthcare provider organisations meet their obligations under the revised My Health Record Rules 2026.

Supporting the resilience and wellbeing of the Victorian Jewish community

September 22, 2026
South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN) is pleased to announce the successful recipients of funding via the Victorian Jewish Community Wellbeing Grant round. Congratulations to the following organisations:

Introducing the Clinical and Referral Guidance Hub

September 21, 2026
South Eastern Melbourne PHN has launched the Clinical and Referral Guidance Hub (the Hub), a new platform providing primary care professionals in south east Melbourne with centralised access to local referral information and clinical guidance.