NHS Lanarkshire offering RSV vaccine for the first time

dailyrecord.co.uk:

NHS Lanarkshire is offering the RSV vaccine for the first time to eligible groups - and has already started issuing appointment letters.Last year there were more than 1000 cases of RSV in Scotland in people aged 75 years and older.RSV is a common respiratory illness which affects the lungs and airways.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android It is more common from late autumn to early spring, but can happen throughout the year.Getting the RSV vaccine is the best way to protect against RSV infections.The RSV vaccine is new to Scotland and has not been offered before, so anyone aged 75 to 79 years on August 1 (date of birth between August 2, 1944, and July 31, 1950) will receive an appointment letter.Pregnant women will also be offered the vaccine regardless of their age.Veronica Rainey, associate medical director, South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “RSV is a common and highly infectious respiratory virus that affects the breathing system."It generally causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, cough, fever, or decrease in appetite."Most people recover after two to three weeks, but RSV can cause severe illness in some people, including pneumonia (infection of the lungs), bronchiolitis (infection of the small airways of the lungs) and other