Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government at what point in September the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for infants and those aged 75 to 80 was made available in the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board area.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination programmes for pregnant women to protect newborns and adults aged between 75 and 79 years old began in England on 1 September 2024.
Supplies of RSV vaccines were available for all general practices (GPs) and maternity services in England to order, including those in the South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board area, from 1 August 2024, to allow pre-positioning of vaccine stock in the National Health Service in advance of the national programmes going live in September.
The South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board supported the national timelines and promoted the programmes extensively, with GPs and maternity services administering RSV vaccines to eligible groups from the 1 September. While a small number of GPs in Sheffield have experienced delays in starting the RSV programmes, all have now placed supply orders and are offering bookings for those who are eligible to get vaccinated.