This report presents RSV vaccine coverage of pregnant women in England for the first month of the maternal vaccination programme in September 2024. This is based on data from 40.5% of General Practices (see Note 1 below)..

The main findings were that:

• of the 16,704 women reported as having given birth in the survey month, 5,613 (33.6%) had received an RSV vaccine

• coverage varied by ethnic group and the highest coverage was reported among White Irish (54.0%) and lowest among Mixed, White and Black Caribbean (11.1%) (Table 1)

Table 1. RSV vaccine coverage (%) in pregnant women, measured in September 2024, by ethnicity

Ethnic group	RSV Coverage (%)
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean	11.1
Black or Black British – Any other Black background	15.5
Black or Black British – Caribbean	17.4
Mixed – White and Asian	18.8
Asian or Asian British – Pakistani	19.5
Mixed – White and Black African	20.4
Mixed – Any other mixed background	21.0
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi	22.0
Black or Black British – African	23.2
White – Any other White background	24.3
Other ethnic groups – Any other ethnic group	25.9
Asian or Asian British – Any other Asian background	30.2
Asian or Asian British – Indian	30.3
Ethnicity not stated	31.2
White – British	39.0
Patients with any other Ethnicity Code	44.0
Other ethnic groups – Chinese	51.6
White – Irish	54.0

Note 1. The figures presented in this report currently reflect data from 40.5% of participating general practices (GP) across England.

Background

The RSV vaccine has been offered to pregnant women in England since September 2024 to address the significant burden of RSV-related illness, hospitalisations and deaths, particularly among infants under six months of age and older adults, who are at increased risk of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) (1, 2). In 2023, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) issued a full statement recommending the implementation of a maternal RSV vaccination programme. This recommendation was based on robust evidence demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of RSV vaccines in protecting infants during their most vulnerable period (1).

The vaccine is recommended as a year-round programme to be administered from 28 weeks of gestation onwards. This timing aligns with the optimal window for passive antibody transfer to the foetus, ensuring effective protection against severe RSV-related illness (2, 3). From 1 September 2024 (the programme start date), all women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant are advised to receive the vaccine as soon as possible, with vaccination continuing to be recommended for all eligible women throughout pregnancy up until delivery (3). Additionally, the vaccine will be reoffered for every subsequent pregnancy to maintain consistent coverage and protection.

The programme is delivered through GP and maternity services, ensuring accessible vaccination opportunities for eligible pregnant women across England.

Methods

The maternal RSV vaccination report will be released monthly, presenting vaccination uptake data only for the specific reporting month, without cumulative figures from previous months. The reporting period for the current report is from 1 September to 30 September 2024. This report focuses on pregnant women who delivered in the survey month, regardless of gestational age at birth.

GP level RSV vaccine coverage data is automatically uploaded via participating GP IT suppliers to the ImmForm website each month. ImmForm data is validated and analysed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to check data completeness, query any anomalous data and describe epidemiological trends. Since September 2024, the reporting data collected include:

• denominator: number of women who delivered in the survey month, excluding miscarriages and stillbirths, regardless of gestational age
• numerator: number of women receiving RSV vaccination from week 28 of pregnancy up until delivery
• refusals: number of women in the denominator who refused RSV vaccination between week 28 of pregnancy and delivery

To ensure accurate denominators are extracted from GP IT systems by the automated survey and precise coverage estimates are calculated, the methodology involves a monthly data extraction process. This process examines the second preceding calendar month, allowing sufficient time for the relevant data items to be recorded. Consequently, the data collection period starts two months after the extraction date. For instance, data from September will be extracted on 1 December 2024.  

Participation and data quality

The data presented in this report for September 2024 is based on data received from a single GP IT supplier, accounting for 40.5% of all GP practices during the reporting month. Data from other participating GP practices is currently under review for the first month of the vaccination programme.

Further vaccine coverage figures for maternal patients eligible for RSV vaccination, including data stratified by NHS commissioning region, will be published in subsequent publications.

Discussion

This is the first monthly report of the RSV vaccine coverage for women who delivered in the first month of the RSV vaccination programme (September 2024). Overall, the monthly RSV maternal vaccine coverage for September 2024 was 33.6%.

As the RSV maternal vaccination programme has only recently begun, many pregnant women in the later stages of pregnancy who are due to deliver during the reporting month may not have had sufficient time to be informed about the vaccine. As awareness of the programme grows and more pregnant women are notified from gestation week 20 onwards, the monthly vaccination coverage is expected to increase gradually over time.

References

1. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation programme for infants and older adults: JCVI full statement, 11 September 2023 - GOV.UK

2. Green Book on Immunisation - Chapter 27a RSV

3. RSV vaccination of pregnant women for infant protection: information for healthcare practitioners - GOV.UK