Feb 14, 2024 at 3:15 PM Update: a day ago
The Health Council recommends that all children in their first year of life be vaccinated against the RS virus in the short term. By administering antibodies, children can be prevented from becoming seriously ill from the virus.
The Health Council wrote this in an advice to the outgoing cabinet on Wednesday.
1 to 2 percent of children are admitted to hospital in the first year of life due to an infection with the RS virus, the Health Council writes to outgoing State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen of Health, Welfare and Sport. “Some of them even need treatment in the ICU.”
“Two agents – a vaccine and an antibody – have recently become available that can protect young children against a serious RSV infection.”
The Health Council has assessed the new products and believes that they provide good protection against the virus. It is therefore advised to make the vaccination part of the National Vaccination Program (RVP) as soon as possible.
What is the RS virus?
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common cold virus that mainly causes coughing and cold symptoms in most children. Some young children become very ill and have to be admitted to hospital. Very occasionally babies die from the effects of the virus.
The Health Council prefers to vaccinate children over pregnant women
Another way to protect children from the virus is to vaccinate pregnant women. But the Health Council has a preference for administering antibodies to children. “This way, more children can be protected.”
The council also states that it costs relatively little to include the vaccination in the NVP, compared to the treatment costs if children contract the infection.
It is now up to Van Ooijen to make a decision on the Health Council’s advice. If the State Secretary includes the RSV vaccination in the vaccination program, the first injections will probably be administered before the winter of 2024/2025.
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