Ontario expands RSV prevention program to all seniors over 75, starting this fall

Dr. Fahad Razak, and internist at St. Michael's Hospital, says RSV disproportionately affects those under the age of one and over the age of 75.

Ontario is expanding the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention program to now include people 75 years of age and older starting this fall, the Ministry of Health announced in a media release Wednesday.

Immunizations against the virus causing severe respiratory illness will now be available through the province’s publicly funded immunization programs to this age group in this expansion.

Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said this step was taken to help protect more seniors and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations in the coming fall and winter seasons.

“Our government is ensuring the most vulnerable have access to the tools they need to protect themselves and their family during respiratory illness season,” Jones said in the media release.

The program builds on the previous year’s expansion, which included high-risk adults aged 60 to 74 years of age who are residents of long-term care or retirement homes, infants up to eight months old in their first RSV season and high-risk children up to 24 months old in their second RSV season.

Pregnant women will continue to have the option to get the RSV vaccine, which can help provide protection to infants at birth, the statement read. The province says it will provide more information on where families can get the RSV immunization in the coming weeks.

Chief Medical Executive of Ontario Health, Dr. Chris Simpson called RSV “a major contributor to illness and hospitalizations.”

“This vaccine coverage will save lives and help to improve quality of life for older Ontarians by reducing the risk of serious illness and complications,” Simpson said. “It also will reduce the number of hospitalizations, which means more capacity in our health-care system during the always busy winter season.”