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WA Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Immunisation Programs

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a notifiable infectious disease in Western Australia.
  • The WA RSV immunisation programs aim to reduce RSV-related illness and hospitalisations by protecting newborns, at-risk infants, and at-risk adults.
  • The WA state-funded RSV infant immunisation (Beyfortus) program runs from 1 April to 30 September 2026. Beyfortus is available year-round in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.
  • The maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo), which is administered to pregnant women to protect newborn infants, is available year-round under the National Immunisation Program.
  • The WA state-funded older adult RSV programs will provide RSV vaccines (Arexvy) from May 2026 for eligible adults. 
  • Subscribe to the WA Department of Health Vaccine updates (external site) e­ – newsletter to receive key updates and communications on this and other immunisation programs.
RSV immunisation programs in WA

Infant protection:

Option A – maternal vaccination (Abrysvo):

The maternal RSV vaccine is funded under the National Immunisation Program. Pregnant women are recommended to receive the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks gestation, at every pregnancy to protect infants from birth up to 6 months of age.

Option B – infant immunisation (Beyfortus):

The WA Department of Health offers the infant RSV immunisation program to protect eligible infants and children most at risk of severe RSV disease. Beyfortus is an antibody that provides immediate protective immunity against RSV infection. Refer to eligibility for more details.

Older adult protection (Arexvy):

The RSV vaccine Arexvy is offered to eligible older people by the WA Department of Health. Refer to eligibility below.

Both Abrysvo and Beyfortus are offered at participating maternity hospitals, general practices, Aboriginal medical services, and community health immunisation clinics.

Community pharmacies only offer Abrysvo.

Eligibility

Pregnancy

Throughout WA, Abrysvo is offered to all pregnant people from 28 weeks gestation.

  • Abrysvo is the only RSV vaccine approved for use in pregnancy.
  • Abrysvo vaccine is not approved for use in infants and children.
  • Pregnant women from 28 weeks gestation are recommended to receive the Abrysvo vaccine with an interval of at least 2 weeks between vaccination and birth.
  • If birth occurs less than 2 weeks after the mother received the RSV vaccine, their infant is recommended to receive Beyfortus to provide additional protection.
  • 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.
  • Abrysvo is recommended for each pregnancy.

Infants and young children

In 2026, Beyfortus is available statewide between 1 April and 30 September (excluding Kimberley and Pilbara regions who have year-round programs) and offered to:

IMPORTANT – RSV vaccines Abrysvo and Arexvy are NOT approved for administration in infants and children. Beyfortus (Nirsevimab) is the only product approved for use in infants and children.

Beyfortus should not be administered to children aged 24 months and older, and can be safely administrated at the same time as other routine childhood vaccines.

For infants and young children that meet the eligibility criteria, Beyfortus is available regardless of Medicare status.

Beyfortus is available year-round for eligible babies living in, or are moving to, the Kimberley and Pilbara, as disease trends in northern WA show that the risk of RSV infections extend longer than the typical winter RSV season seen in the rest of WA.

Medically at-risk children

Children aged up to 24 months (born on or after 1 October 2024) with the conditions outlined below are at an increased risk of severe RSV disease:

  1. Pre-term birth less than 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 less than tenth percentile
  7. Trisomy 21 or another genetic condition that increases the risk of severe RSV disease

These children would benefit from a dose of Beyfortus when entering their second RSV season.

Dose recommended

Refer to the Australian Immunisation Handbook for dose requirements.

Older adults

Arexvy is offered to:

  • all adults aged 65 and over who reside in a residential aged care home

More information available soon on expansion of state-funded program which will offer Arexvy to additional vulnerable cohorts.

Note: Arexvy is not approved for use in pregnant women and should not be given to pregnant women.

RSV resources

Webinars

Infant and maternal program

Fact sheets, decision aids, and supporting resources

Clinical guidance and education

The RSV e-module has been developed by WA Department of Health to provide updated information to relevant WA immunisation providers who administer RSV immunisations. Immunisation providers working under the CEO of Health Structured Administration and Supply Arrangement (SASA) must complete this module. To access the module, visit Immunisation education and click on the ‘WA Health modules and registration’ button.

Supporting guidance

Reporting to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

All government-funded vaccines need to be recorded to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). This includes RSV vaccines and immunisations. 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). AIR changes are communicated to software vendors registered with the Australian Government therefore you can submit information to AIR using your practice management software or Health Professionals Online Services (HPOS). Practices are responsible for ensuring they have the latest updates. Practices can subscribe to WAPHA newsletters to receive up to date information.

For further information, see:

Reporting Beyfortus dosage specifications

Children aged 8 months and older, regardless of weight, will require a 200 mg dose (given as two 100 mg injections). When recording this in the AIR, enter it as a single dose and 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.

The antenatal indicator in the AIR allows vaccination providers to report if a person is pregnant at the time of vaccine administration.

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 identifying detail as possible to support future matching to a Medicare record.

Your practice management software provider can provide advice on recording encounters in 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)’. For surname, use mother’s surname.

For detailed instructions, refer to AIR­ Report vaccinations for infants to the AIR (external site) or their other Health Professional Education Resources (external site)

How to record Beyfortus and birth dose Hep B on AIR

Reminder: Beyfortus is a state funded immunisation and is not on the National Immunisation Program (NIP). ‘Other’ must be selected in the schedule field of AIR before ’Beyfortus (nirsevimab)’ can be chosen.

Hep B birth dose is administered under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Reporting of Hep B birth doses is under ‘Birth’ schedule.

View the quick reference guide for immunisation providers (PDF 488KB) for clarity on how to report RSV Beyfortus and Hep B birth doses if entering records directly into AIR.

View the WAPHA Mandatory Reporting Vaccine Type for AIR ­ WA Immunisation Schedule 2025 (Reporting Guide) for general practice staff

 

 

Immunisation safety

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)

Clinical trials found no difference in the rate of adverse events or serious adverse events in participants aged less than 24 months of age who received nirsevimab compared with placebo or palivizumab. The WA Department of Health conducts ongoing monitoring of adverse events following immunisation. A paper on the surveillance of nirsevimab administered to children in WA between April to July 2024 (external site) was published.

Among clinical trial participants aged less than 60 years who received Abrysvo, 12 per cent had injection site reaction such as pain, redness, and swelling and 28 per cent had fatigue, headache, and muscle soreness. There was no difference in the rate of serious adverse events between participants who received Abrysvo compared to a placebo.

Among clinical trial participants over 50 years of age who received Arexvy, pain at the injection site was the most common reaction. The most common general reactions were fatigue, muscle soreness, and headache. There was no difference in the rates of serious adverse events in participants who received Arexvy compared with placebo.

Contraindications to receiving Abrysvo or Beyfortus

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 deferring Beyfortus immunisation for individuals with a moderate or severe acute illness. This recommendation is only to avoid diagnostic confusion between symptoms from underlying illness and possible side effects from the immunisation.

Reporting Adverse Events Following Immunisation

Severe side effects after Abrysvo and Beyfortus are uncommon. Injection site pain and fatigue are the most common side effects for pregnant people.

Beyfortus has been determined by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be safe and effective before being approved to use in Australia. As with all medicines, some infants may experience mild side effect, and a severe allergic reaction is rare.

In clinical trials, side effects after Beyfortus administration were rare, and most were mild and resolved within a few days. The most commonly reported include pain, redness, rash, or swelling at the injection site.

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.

RSV product administration errors

Since Abrysvo (antenatal RSV vaccine) was introduced in 2025, several clinical incidents have occurred where Abrysvo and Beyfortus (infant RSV immunisation) were confused. These errors have been reported in WA and nationally, indicating a systemwide issue.

 

WA Health requests your support to reduce the risk of future errors.

 

It is essential that all staff understand the differences between Abrysvo Beyfortus and Arexvy products; especially the cohorts they are recommended for; and that processes are in place to ensure the correct product is administered to patients. To support this, WA Health has developed fridge labels to help providers clearly distinguish between the 3 RSV products. To use these vaccine fridge labels, please take the following steps:

 

  1. Order the free labels
  2. Label the 3 products on your fridges
    • Print, laminate, and attach the relevant fridge labels to the respective baskets or shelves where these 3 products are stored.
  3. Fridge organisation
    • If your service has 2 vaccine fridges, it is recommended to store Abrysvo and Beyfortus products in separate fridges while still using the fridge labels. It is recommended to store Arexvy in a different section of the fridge from Abrysvo.
    • If you only have one fridge, place the Beyfortus and Abrysvo products on separate shelves.
    • If possible, store Arexvy alongside other routine vaccines for older cohorts e.g., pneumococcal, shingles

 

Ensure each has its respective fridge label clearly displayed.

 

 

For detailed clinical guidance on the management of a range of possible RSV immunisation product administration errors, visit NCIRS (external site).

 

Ordering and cold chain management

Registered providers who offer immunisation services for eligible cohorts can order government funded vaccines via Onelink (external site).

Refer to ordering vaccines for details on how to order vaccines through Onelink.

Vaccines must be stored according to the WA cold chain protocol.

Last reviewed: 27-03-2026
wa.gov.au