RSV Vaccines and Immunization Options: What to Know for the 2026 RSV Season

Recent RSV seasons have shown bigger, earlier surges, making vaccination a key public health priority. Vaccination decisions should be made between patients and their healthcare providers based on individual clinical circumstances.

While RSV doesn’t always get the attention influenza does, it poses a real risk to vulnerable populations. Now, healthcare providers have multiple immunization options from vaccines to preventive antibody products.

Here’s a concise overview to RSV vaccines, who may be eligible, and what to know about safety and effectiveness for the 2026 season.

RSV vaccines and immunizations: An overview

RSV prevention includes both vaccines and monoclonal antibody products. Vaccines stimulate the immune system to build protection over time, while antibodies provide immediate, direct protection against RSV infection. Currently, only one dose is currently recommended for the RSV vaccine.¹

There are three primary RSV prevention pathways:

• Adult RSV vaccines.
• Maternal RSV vaccination.
• Infant monoclonal antibody protection.

While anyone can get RSV, it can cause serious lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) in very young children, whose airways can easily become blocked, and in older adults with weakened immune systems.

Globally, RSV causes an estimated 3.6 million hospitalizations and 100,000 deaths each year in children under five. In the U.S., it leads to roughly 160,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths annually among adults 65 and older.² Severe cases may require hospitalization for respiratory care, mechanical ventilation or IV fluids.

RSV vaccine options for adults

Three RSV vaccines are FDA-approved for adults: AREXVY, ABRYSO®, and mRESVIA. RSV vaccination is recommended as a single dose for adults ≥75 and for adults 50–74 at increased risk of severe RSV disease.

• AREXVY is also recommended for: Adults aged 50–59 with conditions that increase the risk of severe RSV disease.⁴
• ABRYSO® is approved for use during pregnancy between 32 and 36 weeks’ gestation to help protect infants from RSV, and for adults ages 18–59 with conditions that increase the risk of severe RSV disease.⁵
• mRESVIA is also recommended for: adults 18 – 59 with conditions that increase the risk of severe RSV disease.⁶

Clinical trial data indicate RSV vaccination may help reduce the risk of RSV-associated LRTD and severe illness.⁷ Some participants reported common vaccine side effects, including localized pain, fatigue, muscle aches, headache and joint pain.⁸

These vaccines are given as an injection into the upper-arm muscle, similar to other adult vaccines. AREXVY was studied in about 25,000 older adults, while ABRYSO® was evaluated in approximately 34,000 participants.

How effective are RSV vaccines?

In clinical trials, AREXVY reduced the risk of RSV-associated LRTD by 82.6%, while the risk of RSV-associated LRTD dropped by 94.1%. ABRYSO® cut the risk of RSV-associated LRTD with two or more symptoms by 66.7% and the risk of RSV-associated LRTD with three or more symptoms by 85.7%.⁹

Maternal RSV vaccination and infant protection

Maternal RSV vaccinations are administered during pregnancy, typically between 32 and 36 weeks. The maternal RSV vaccine prompts antibody production in the pregnant individual, with antibodies transferred to the fetus to support RSV protection after birth.¹⁰

Maternal RSV vaccination may help reduce severe RSV infections in early infancy. In the first three months after birth, vaccination lowered severe infections by 82% and reduced the need for medical attention by 57% for ABRYSO®. At six months, those numbers were 69% and 51%, respectively.¹¹ Safety continues to be monitored, and maternal vaccination is one of several strategies to protect infants. AREXVY is not indicated for use during pregnancy.

RSV protection for infants: Antibody-based options

Unlike vaccines, monoclonal antibody products provide direct protection to infants. Beyfortus® (nirsevimab) is given to infants entering their first RSV season and some high-risk children entering a second. Injected into the thigh before RSV season or at birth, it reduced the need for medical attention by 70–75% and RSV-related hospitalizations by 60–80% in clinical trials.¹² Side effects were rare and mild, and protection lasted five months or longer.

Supporting informed RSV vaccination decisions

RSV vaccination decisions benefit from clinical data, individualized assessment and guidance on disease control. Patients and healthcare providers may consider age, underlying conditions and timing within the RSV season when reviewing available immunization options as part of a broader immunization practice.