2025 WA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infant and Maternal Immunisation Program

Abrysvo is offered to eligible women at 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy.

From 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2025, Beyfortus will be offered to:

• infants born between 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025 whose mother did not receive Abrysvo
• Aboriginal infants and children born on or after 1 October 2023
• infants with specific high risk medical conditions (MRC) born on or after 1 October 2023.

This eligibility is applicable statewide except for in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions, where RSV immunisation is available to the above cohorts year round, due to local RSV epidemiological trends.

Note: If a mother has received Abrysvo, Beyfortus is not recommended for the infant, unless the infant has a high-risk condition, the mum is immunocompromised or insufficient time (<2 weeks) between Abrysvo and the infants birth has occurred to ensure adequate antibody generation.

Medically at risk children 

Children with the conditions outlined below are at an increased risk of severe RSV disease and would benefit from a dose of Beyfortus when entering their second RSV season.

Recommended age group

• children born on or after 1 October 2023.

Dose recommended

• 200 mg (administered through 2 separate 100 mg IM injections during the same visit).

Conditions at increased risk for severe RSV disease in infants and young children:

1. Preterm birth <32 weeks gestational age
2. Haemodynamically significant congenital heart disease
3. Significant immunosuppression, such as from malignancy, solid organ transplant, haematopoietic stem cell transplant, or primary immune deficiencies such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
4. Chronic lung disease requiring ongoing oxygen or respiratory support
5. Neurological conditions that impair respiratory function
6. Cystic fibrosis with severe lung disease or weight for length <10th percentile
7. Trisomy 21 or another genetic condition that increases the risk of severe RSV disease.

If a woman receives Abrysvo between 28 to 36 weeks of pregnancy with an interval of at least 2 weeks between vaccination and birth, the baby will be protected against RSV. Abrysvo can be safely administrated at the same time as other routine antenatal vaccines. It is important to also assess the pertussis and influenza vaccination status and offer those vaccines if appropriate.

Beyfortus can be safely administrated at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines.

Kimberley/Pilbara

Both the RSV vaccines for eligible pregnant women, as well as the year round Beyfortus program for babies and children, are available for those living in, or who are soon to live in, the Kimberley and Pilbara. This is because local disease trends show the risk of RSV infection extends for longer than the traditional winter RSV season seen in the rest of WA.

The RSV module has been developed by WA Department of Health to provide updated information to relevant WA immunisation providers that administer RSV immunisations to eligible pregnant women or infants and children. Immunisation providers working under the CEO of Health SASA must complete this update. Refer to Immunisation education to access the RSV module.

All government funded vaccines are required to be recorded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) this includes Abrysvo and Beyfortus. For training and assistance on how to edit or enter data into the AIR visit: Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) - Health Professional Education Resources (servicesaustralia.gov.au) General information about reporting of immunisations can be found on Immunisation provider information and resources.

Recognised vaccination providers record an individual’s immunisation encounters using the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). You can submit information to AIR using your practice management software or Health Professionals Online Services (HPOS).

Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) (health.gov.au)

Manage AIR access and payments - Health professionals - Services Australia

Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) - eLearning - Health Professional Education Resources (servicesaustralia.gov.au)

Reporting Beyfortus dosage specifications

Children aged 8 months and older (regardless of weight) will require a dosage of 200 mg (2x100 mg doses). When reporting to the AIR, enter as a single dose. Please use only one batch number.

Recording immunisations for infants

It is mandatory to report all government funded vaccine administrations to the AIR, including birth doses.

Infants not enrolled with Medicare or not eligible for Medicare are added to the AIR when a vaccination provider reports their vaccination details. When reporting vaccinations for infants add as much detail as possible to allow for future matching to a Medicare record.

Your practice management software provider can provide advice on recording encounters to the AIR.

If recording vaccinations using the AIR site for newborn babies that have not been named, use the term “Baby of (Mother’s first name)” as first name. For example, “Baby of Sally”. For multiple births, use “Baby 1 of (Mother’s first name)”, “Baby 2 of (Mother’s first name)”, etc. For surname, use mother’s surname.

 For detailed instructions, refer to AIRM04INFO5 - Report vaccinations for infants to the AIR (servicesaustralia.gov.au)

Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) - Submitting to the AIR - Health Professional Education Resources (servicesaustralia.gov.au)

In 2024, over 20,000 children were immunised with Beyfortus across WA. WA Health monitored reactions following Beyfortus via SMS, and received the following feedback:

• 93 per cent of parents reported no adverse events following Beyfortus (when Beyfortus was the only immunisation administered)
• most reactions were minor and resolved quickly
• 23 Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) were reported to WA Vaccine Safety Surveillance (WAVSS).

The WA Department of Health conducts ongoing monitoring of adverse events following immunisation. A paper has been published on safety surveillance of nirsevimab in WA children between April and July 2024.

Contraindications to Abrysvo use are:

• anaphylaxis after a previous dose of the same RSV vaccine
• anaphylaxis after any component of an RSV vaccine.

Pregnant people who are less than 28 weeks gestation are not yet recommended to receive Abrysvo.

The only absolute contraindications to Beyfortus® use are: 

• anaphylaxis after a previous dose of the same monoclonal antibody
• anaphylaxis after any component of a monoclonal antibody.

WA Health recommends that Beyfortus® immunisation should be deferred for individuals with a moderate or severe acute illness. This recommendation is only to avoid diagnostic confusion that may arise between the underlying illness and side effects from the immunisation.

Severe side effects after Abrysvo and Beyfortus® are uncommon. The most common side effects for pregnant people who receive Abrysvo are injection site pain and fatigue.

Beyfortus has been determined by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be safe and effective prior to approval for use in Australia. In clinical trials side effects after Beyfortus administration were uncommon. The most common side effects of Beyfortus are minor and will resolve within a few days. These include pain, redness, rash or swelling at the injection site. Like all medicines, Beyfortus may cause side effects in some, but not all infants. As with any medicine, there is a very remote chance that RSV immunisation could cause a severe allergic reaction.

Reporting of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) to the Western Australian Vaccine Safety Surveillance (WAVSS) system is a condition of Structured Administrations and Supply Arrangements (SASAs) that provide the authority for immunisation providers to safely administer vaccinations in WA.

Providers who offer immunisation services for pregnant women can order the NIP funded maternal RSV vaccine Abrysvo, via the Onelink ordering site. Dose ordering limits are in place to help manage stock, however providers requiring larger quantities should include an order note as there are currently no supply constraints.

Abrysvo package size is 73 mm x 35 mm x 116 mm and contains Abrysvo 120 microgram/0.5 mL bivalent vaccine powder for injection vial + diluent syringe.

Abrysvo must be stored between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.