Key TakeawaysThe FDA recently approved mRESVIA, the first mRNA vaccine for RSV, for adults aged 60 and older.The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet in late June to discuss recommendations for rolling out the vaccine.

Key Takeaways

The FDA recently approved mRESVIA, the first mRNA vaccine for RSV, for adults aged 60 and older.The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet in late June to discuss recommendations for rolling out the vaccine.

RSV is a virus that most commonly occurs in the fall and can affect anyone. But it can be most dangerous in very young children and older adults,Robert Hopkins, MD,medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told Verywell.

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Mild Side Effects So Far

The mRESVIA clinical trial showed any reactions to the vaccine were mild to moderate, including injection site pain and fatigue.Importantly, none of the participants experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological disorder reported in a small number of recipients of both Pfizer and GSK’s RSV vaccines.That specific side effect prompted the CDC last yearto recommendthat older adults talk to their doctors about getting the vaccine rather than just outright recommending it—a process referred to as “shared decision-making.”

More time and more shots administered are needed to really know how long protection lasts and whether GBS is truly a problem with any of the vaccines, said Hopkins.

“We have a much better idea of any possible side effects once a drug or vaccine is used in the wider population, which can be millions of people, rather than the thousands in a clinical trial,” he said.

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A recommendation from ACIP means that insurers will cover the vaccine.

William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease expert at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, thinks it’s likely that ACIP will continue its shared decision-making recommendation for mRESVIA as well.

Regardless of which RSV vaccine you pursue, it’s important to talk to your doctor about it “before heading to a clinic or pharmacy to get the shot,”Aaron Glatt, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau Medical Center in New York and a spokesperson for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, told Verywell.

Anyone over 60 should bring up the RSV vaccine with their doctor, but this is especially true “if you are 60 and older and have lung health conditions, or you are in your mid-70s, when RSV can be more likely to pose a threat,” Glatt added.

The conversation with your doctor should include whether the vaccine is appropriate for you, and if so, which one to get and when to have it.

If you received an RSV vaccination last year, there is no recommendation currently for another dose.

What This Means For You

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wilson E, Goswami J, Baqui AH, et al.Efficacy and safety of an mRNA-based RSV PreF vaccine in older adults.N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2233-2244. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307079Hause AM, Moro PL, Baggs J, et al.Early safety findings among persons aged ≥60 years who received a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine - United States, May 3, 2023-April 14, 2024.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(21):489-494. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7321a3

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Wilson E, Goswami J, Baqui AH, et al.Efficacy and safety of an mRNA-based RSV PreF vaccine in older adults.N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2233-2244. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307079Hause AM, Moro PL, Baggs J, et al.Early safety findings among persons aged ≥60 years who received a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine - United States, May 3, 2023-April 14, 2024.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(21):489-494. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7321a3

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Wilson E, Goswami J, Baqui AH, et al.Efficacy and safety of an mRNA-based RSV PreF vaccine in older adults.N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2233-2244. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307079Hause AM, Moro PL, Baggs J, et al.Early safety findings among persons aged ≥60 years who received a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine - United States, May 3, 2023-April 14, 2024.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(21):489-494. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7321a3

Wilson E, Goswami J, Baqui AH, et al.Efficacy and safety of an mRNA-based RSV PreF vaccine in older adults.N Engl J Med. 2023;389(24):2233-2244. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307079

Hause AM, Moro PL, Baggs J, et al.Early safety findings among persons aged ≥60 years who received a respiratory syncytial virus vaccine - United States, May 3, 2023-April 14, 2024.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(21):489-494. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7321a3

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