Older Adult High-Risk Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Program
Our team recieved information from Public Health regarding the RSV vaccine. Please watch for a registered staff member to connect with you about vaccine consent for RSV as well as Flu (Influenza) and COVID vaccines. We will be providing residents with their vaccines in the next couple of months as they are available through Public Health.
Information on RSV vaccine from Public Health:
Ontario’s publicly funded Older Adult High-Risk RSV vaccine program for this year includes individuals who are 60 years of age and older who are also:
- Residents of long-term care homes (LTCH), Elder Care Lodges, or retirement homes (Rhome)
- Patients in hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC) including similar settings (i.e. complex continuing care, hospital transitional programs)
- Patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
- Recipients of solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants
- Individuals experiencing homelessness
- Individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis
Anyone who received a dose of RSV vaccine during the 2023-2024 season does not need to receive an additional dose this season. Studies continue to show multi-year protection in adults who have received RSV vaccine. The timing for subsequent doses is unknown at this time. Studies are ongoing to determine how long the vaccines provide protection.
There will be two RSV vaccines used in this year’s older adult high-risk RSV program – AREXVY and ABRYSVO. Both vaccines are authorized by Health Canada, recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), and have been shown to be safe and highly effective in preventing severe disease from RSV.
While RSV vaccine can be co-administered with other vaccines, LTCHs are encouraged to start vaccinating eligible residents as soon as possible. Residents who declined RSV vaccination last season, should be offered the vaccine again this year.
