Research and analysis

RSV vaccine coverage report in older adults for catch-up cohorts in England: November 2024

Updated 20 December 2024

Applies to England

Main points

The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programme was introduced in September 2024. The routine programme offers the vaccine to those turning 75 and patients remain eligible for the vaccine until their 80th birthday (see Table 1).

This report evaluates vaccine coverage in the catch-up cohorts aged 75 to 79 years old before 1 September 2024 and until 31 August 2025, assessed at end-November 2024. The key conclusion is that:

As of 30 November 2024, the overall vaccine coverage in the catch-up cohort (adults aged 75 to 79 before the programme start date) reached 41.8%, up from the 32.6% coverage assessed at end-October 2024, reported in the first monthly report (1).

Analysis

The RSV vaccination programme for the older adults catch-up cohorts aged 75 to 79 before 1 September 2024 achieved a cumulative coverage rate of 41.8%.

Across the catch-up cohorts, the coverage by region, ethnicity and sex was as follows:

• regional vaccine coverage was highest in the South East (45.4%) and lowest in London (34.2%) (see Table 2)
• coverage varied by ethnic group and the highest coverage was reported among White – British (44.0%) and lowest among Asian or Asian British – Pakistani (14.3%) (see Table 3)
• coverage in males was 43.4% and in females was 40.4%

Table 1. Cumulative RSV vaccine coverage for older adults in the catch-up cohorts, measured at 30 November 2024

Cohort group	Birth range of cohort	Age turned in September 2024	Cumulative vaccine coverage (%)
Catch-up cohort 1	1 September 1948 to 31 August 1949	75	40.2
Catch-up cohort 2	1 September 1947 to 31 August 1948	76	40.8
Catch-up cohort 3	1 September 1946 to 31 August 1947	77	41.8
Catch-up cohort 4	1 September 1945 to 31 August 1946	78	42.5
Catch-up cohort 5	1 September 1944 to 31 August 1945	79	44.4
Total (All cohorts)			41.8

Figure 1. Cumulative RSV vaccine coverage for older adults catch-up cohorts, measured at 30 November 2024

Table 2. RSV vaccine coverage for older adults in the catch-up cohorts, measured at 30 November 2024, by commissioning region

Commissioning region	RSV coverage (%)
London	34.2
North West	39.0
Midlands	40.8
South West	40.9
North East and Yorkshire	44.5
East of England	44.5
South East	45.4

Table 3. RSV vaccine coverage for older adults in the catch-up cohorts, measured at 30 November 2024, by ethnicity

Ethnic group	RSV Coverage (%)
Asian or Asian British – Pakistani	14.3
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi	16.4
Black or Black British – African	16.9
Black or Black British – Caribbean	17.1
Black or Black British – Any other Black background	19.1
Mixed – White and Black African	22.8
Mixed – White and Black Caribbean	24.8
Asian or Asian British – Any other Asian background	26.5
Other ethnic groups – Any other ethnic group	28.0
Asian or Asian British – Indian	28.6
Other ethnic groups – Chinese	28.8
Mixed – White and Asian	33.4
Mixed – Any other mixed background	33.6
Ethnicity not stated	34.3
White – Irish	35.8
White – Other	36.0
White – British	44.0

Discussion

Cumulative coverage in the catch-up cohorts of the RSV vaccination programme for older adults has been steadily increasing since the programme’s inception. Coverage has risen from 22.6% in September (2) to 41.8% by the end of November. As the older adults remain eligible until their 80th birthday, it is expected that coverage in this cohort will increase progressively as they remain eligible for longer and have more opportunities to be vaccinated.

In addition, this report highlights that coverage varies by nearly 11.2 percentage points between regions and nearly 29.7 percentage points between ethnicities.

Background information

The RSV vaccination programme for the older adults cohorts aged 75 to 79 before 1 September 2024 achieved a cumulative coverage rate of 41.8%.

The RSV vaccination programme for the older adults was launched in England on 1 September 2024 as a single-dose vaccine for adults turning 75 years old on or after the programme start, with a catch-up programme covering those up to 79 years of age. Those turning 80 during the first year of the programme are also eligible and will remain so until 31 August 2025 (see Table 4).

The populations eligible for the programme are defined in the Green Book (3), as follows:

• adults turning 75 years old on or after the programme start date (1 September 2024): the routine cohort
• adults already 75 to 79 years old before the programme start date – comprising five “catch-up” cohorts – are eligible up until their 80th birthday, and
• those turning 80 in the first year of the programme will be eligible for vaccination until 31 August 2025

The primary aim is to reduce severe illness, hospitalisations, and complications resulting from RSV infections among older adults especially those over the age of 75 (4,5).

This monthly report includes vaccine coverage data up to 30 November 2024.

Data sources and methodology

This is the second in the series of older-adult RSV vaccination coverage reports that will be released monthly, providing cumulative vaccination uptake since the start of the campaign. The reporting period in the current report is from 1 September to 30 November 2024. Data is collected through the Immunisation Information System (IIS), which holds denominator data and captures vaccination events from GP practices and participating community pharmacies across England, based on data provided by NHS England.

The data was extracted on 4 December 2024 to include vaccinations administered up to midnight of the last day of the reporting month (30 November 2024).

The five catch-up cohorts are defined by their birth year and age as of the programme start date.  A more detailed breakdown of the different cohorts can be found in Table 1.

This report focuses solely on the catch-up cohorts. The routine cohort – defined as those turning 75 since the programme’s start date – are gradually becoming eligible as the vaccination programme progresses and have not yet had sufficient time to be notified and to present to a clinic for their vaccination. Limiting this report to the catch-up cohorts avoids the risk of presenting early and potentially misleading data that underestimates uptake in the routine cohort and the eligible adult population overall.  A complete assessment of coverage in the routine cohort will be available once the whole cohort has become eligible and has had the opportunity to be vaccinated.

Data extraction notes:

1. Population estimates for denominator data and vaccination records were extracted from the Immunisation Information System (IIS) on 4 December 2024 for vaccine events up to the 30 November 2024.
2. The data for the new RSV programme relies on new data flows and is therefore provisional while enhanced data validation checks are being conducted.

Birth cohorts

Table 4. Birth range and RSV vaccine eligibility dates for routine and catch-up cohorts of older populations, measured at 30 November 2024

Cohort group	Birth range of cohort	Age turned in September 2024
Routine cohort 1	Adults turning 75 years of age on or after 1 September 2024	75
Catch-up cohort 1	1 September 1948 to 31 August 1949	75
Catch-up cohort 2	1 September 1947 to 31 August 1948	76
Catch-up cohort 3	1 September 1946 to 31 August 1947	77
Catch-up cohort 4	1 September 1945 to 31 August 1946	78
Catch-up cohort 5	1 September 1944 to 31 August 1945	79

References

1. UKHSA (November 2024). ‘RSV immunisation for older adults and pregnant women: vaccine coverage in England’. Health Protection Report volume 18, issue 10

2. UKHSA (October 2024). ‘RSV vaccine: interim report on uptake of the new, older adult vaccination programme in England’. Health Protection Report volume 18, issue 9

3. UKHSA (2024). Green Book chapter 27a: Respiratory syncytial virus

4. Department of Health and Social Care (June 2024). Introduction of new NHS vaccination programmes against respiratory syncytial virus

5. UKHSA (July 2024). RSV Vaccination of older adults: information for healthcare practitioners