Netherlands โขBegins Vaccinating Infants Against RS Virus in Landmark move
Today, Septemberโฃ 8, 2025, marks a significant step in infant health as the Netherlands commenced vaccinating babies againstโ the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), โcommonly known as the RS virus. The rollout aims to prevent severe respiratory infections, which can be โparticularly dangerous โ- andโฃ even fatalโข – for infants. โHealthcare professionals and pediatricians anticipate a substantial reduction in โคinfant suffering this year due to theโ preventative measure.
RSVโ is a leading โcause of infantโ mortality worldwide, ranking second โonlyโข to malaria. โคWhile deaths โคare rare in the Netherlands, the virus results in 1,500 to 3,000 hospitalizations annually, with approximately 150 children requiring โฃintensive care, often overwhelming hospital capacity during theโ fall and winter months. The situation has previously necessitated assistance from hospitals in neighboring countries like Germany and Belgium, and โขthe postponement ofโฃ scheduled surgeries for โother children.
The immunization, called Nirsevimab, differs from traditional vaccination. It โฃprovidesโค immediate protectionโ for about six months by directly introducing antibodies against theโ virus, rather thanโข prompting โคthe baby’s โimmune โคsystem to produce them. Consequently, side effects areโ reported to be almost nonexistent, according to the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance โฃCenter Lareb.
Data from other countries โthat approved Nirsevimabโ in 2023 indicateโ an 80 percent reduction inโ RSV-related hospitalโข admissions. The Dutch โnational Institute for โขPublic Health andโค the Habitat (RIVM) โคis implementing aโ birthdate-dependent vaccination schedule to coincide with the peak RSV season.Infants born between Octoberโ 1 and โฃApril 1 โwill โreceive the immunization before two weeks of age, while others โฃwill be vaccinated in September or October.