The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cold virus that can cause bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the smallest airways, in young children. This can lead to breathing difficulties and the need for extra oxygen.
Willem Gysemans, a neonatologist at ZOL, notes that pediatric wards used to be full of children with RSV during winter. "Since we started immunizing, we now almost exclusively see admissions for children who have not received the RSV shot. Children are not completely immune, but they do get much less sick."
The RSV season runs from early October to mid-March. Babies born during this period can receive the immunization in the maternity ward. Children born since March 16, 2026, are now being invited. The administered antibodies provide protection for several months.
Parents could already indicate their wish for their child to be immunized during their stay in the maternity ward this year and schedule an appointment immediately. An alternative is vaccination of the mother during pregnancy, through which she produces her own antibodies and passes them to her baby. "Both options are equally effective. It is up to the parents to choose," says Gysemans.
