Western Australia’s Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunisation program is set to continue in 2026, thanks to a $7.6 million investment in the State Government’s 2025-26 Budget.
The funding will support the purchase and administration of Nirsevimab for newborns, continuing the rollout that made WA the first state in the country to provide RSV immunisation to infants.
“The Cook Government is committed to preventing health problems and keeping people out of hospital in the short and long-term,” said Preventative Health Minister, Sabine Winton.
“We are proud to lead the nation in protecting newborns from RSV, which can be a common reason for hospitalisation among babies.
“I am happy that infants will continue to get the protection they need through this program and encourage new mothers to get their newborns immunised.”
RSV is the leading cause of hospitalisation for children during the first year of life. The WA Government says almost 22,000 babies were protected during the 2024 RSV season thanks to the immunisation program.
The immunisation effort resulted in a 57% reduction in hospitalisations of babies younger than 12 months.
“The results from our nation-leading rollout of the RSV vaccine for infants were remarkable, sparing hundreds of families the distress of seeing their babies in emergency care,” said Health Minister, Meredith Hammat.
“This vaccination saves lives. Continuing to support the program is an easy decision for our government, and one that we hope will bring peace of mind for parents and parents-to-be, particularly during these colder months.”
The State’s infant RSV program will continue alongside the Commonwealth’s newly funded maternal RSV vaccine for pregnant women, delivering greater protection for WA’s youngest population.
Western Australia has implemented comprehensive measures to ensure equitable access to RSV immunisation, which is available at a wide range of sites across WA community health clinics, general practices, Aboriginal medical services, antenatal clinics, and maternity hospitals.
More information about immunisation eligibility can be found here:Â 2025 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant and Maternal Immunisation Program.
