TORONTO — The Ontario government is expanding the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) program to connect more infants, high-risk children and pregnant women to RSV vaccines that can help protect themselves and their loved ones during the fall respiratory illness season.
“Our government is taking steps to ensure Ontarians of all ages have the tools they need to be prepared and keep themselves and their loved ones safe and healthy,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “By expanding the number of children eligible under the RSV prevention program, our government is making it easier for families to access the care and protection they need ahead of respiratory illness season.”
Starting this fall, families with infants and high-risk children up to 24 months old, will now have access to the new RSV immunization, Beyfortus®, through the publicly funded RSV prevention program. Pregnant women will also have the option to receive a single dose of Abrysvo®, an RSV vaccine that can provide protection for their infant from birth to six months of age. More details on the expanded RSV program, including where families will be able to access vaccines will be provided in the coming weeks.
“To be ready for this year’s respiratory illness season, we all need to take the simple and effective steps to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities and our health care system,” said Dr Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. “RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the respiratory tract, especially in the very young and older members of our communities. By expanding the RSV prevention program to include all infants born in 2024 and high-risk children up to 24 months old through the 2024/25 RSV season, we can better protect them from the virus and prevent severe outcomes.”
Through Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, the Ontario government is providing people with the tools they need early to connect to the care they need to keep themselves, and their loved ones safe and healthy.