Call for RSV vaccine clarity
17 Jul 2025
Amid reports of patient confusion over RSV vaccines and their availability, GPs are calling for free vaccine programs to be expanded.
For Dr Rochelle Oei-Hicks, a GP from the regional New South Wales town of Orange, learning more about the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine rollout is personal.
Her son, Zach, has now battled through RSV twice – once when he was 12 days old and a second time just two weeks ago.
‘Daycare called the ambulance – he was really well in the morning but then ended up with a temperature of 42 degrees,’ Dr Oei-Hicks told newsGP.
She said her son’s diagnosis comes at a time when there is much misinformation and confusion about RSV vaccines, especially for infants.
So far in 2025, there has been 103,089 cases of RSV reported across Australia, with around 50% of those cases being in NSW.
Earlier this year, the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) was added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP), however, broader eligibility for free RSV immunisations can differ from state to state, and year to year.
On Monday, the Victorian Government announced it is rolling out a free RSV vaccine program for residents aged 60 and over in public and Aboriginal community controlled aged care services.
The $2.2 million program is an Australian-first, offering the Arexvy vaccine to those eligible, with RACGP President Dr Michael Wright labelling its introduction ‘fantastic’.
‘I was on the radio with a Gippsland woman who’d had to take three-and-a-half weeks off work. She said it seemed like the worst virus she’d had in her life and was still experiencing exhaustion and other symptoms,’ he said.
‘While providing protection for around 5000 older Victorians is an excellent start, vulnerable patients need governments to expand their vaccination programs further to ensure all at-risk populations can and do access recommended vaccines to keep all our communities safe.
‘We continue to call on all governments to expand their programs to include all patients identified as being at risk in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.’
But it comes as patients report feeling uncertainty over the RSV vaccine programs, with a group of Victorian parents rallying together to seek clarity on what they have called an ‘inequitable’ and ‘confusing’ program.
In response, Dr Oei-Hicks decided to reach out to her fellow doctors to better understand their knowledge of, and access, to vaccination programs.
According to her small-scale survey, which has now received 23 responses from NSW GPs, around three quarters of respondents say they have a good understanding of the maternal Abrysvo program.
Around one third of respondents say they have a good understanding of the infant nirsevimab (sold as Beyfortus) program.
‘It is what I’ve heard on the ground already, but I wanted to have it backed up and I’ve now had 23 other GPs saying similar,’ Dr Oei-Hicks said.
‘But I don’t think the solution is more webinars, more handouts, or more flyers that we can look at online.
‘We need a quick and easy flow chart or decision tool that would be really helpful for GPs.’
According to Dr Oei-Hicks’ questionnaire, of those who said they do not have a good understanding of the programs, three quarters said it was due to unclear communication from health authorities and 62.5% said it was because of changing guidelines.
The survey also found half of respondents find it easy to access the maternal vaccine, while 17.4% of GPs could easily access the vaccine for eligible infants.
‘We are starting to see that fragmentation of our healthcare system into federal and state,’ Dr Oei-Hicks said.
‘It would be really wonderful if we could actually have vaccines added to the NIP because we do know that families probably trust what’s on the NIP a little bit more.’