RSV causes respiratory infection. The virus is mainly seen in autumn and winter. Babies can become seriously ill from RSV. Sometimes they may need to go to hospital. Almost all children get an RSV infection before they turn 2 years old. A vaccination against RSV is available. It offers effective protection against severe illness resulting from the virus.
Factsheet on RSV
| How does the virus spread? | Coughing and sneezing, and direct contact with droplets on hands, objects or clothing |
|---|---|
| Common symptoms | Nasal cold, coughing |
| Serious symptoms | Shortness of breath, wheezing, fever, pneumonia, bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways), ear infection |
| Protection against RSV | A vaccination against RSV is available for babies. It can protect your baby effectively against severe illness resulting from the virus. Babies are already being vaccinated against RSV in other European countries. In those countries, RSV-related hospital admissions for babies have decreased by 80%. |
| Which vaccination protects against this disease? | RSV injection |
How does RSV spread?
When a person with RSV coughs or sneezes, droplets containing virus particles are released into the air. Other people can inhale these droplets and become infected. A person can also be infected through direct contact with droplets on hands, objects or clothing.
Babies
Babies can become seriously ill from RSV. They could have shortness of breath or develop pneumonia. Between 1,500 and 3,000 babies in the Netherlands end up in hospital every year as a result of RSV. The younger your baby is, the more likely it is that they will become seriously ill if they get RSV.
Protection against RSV
A vaccination against RSV is available for babies. It can protect your baby effectively against severe illness resulting from the virus. Babies are already being vaccinated against RSV in other European countries. In those countries, RSV-related hospital admissions for babies have decreased by 80%.