You can get THIS virus from your grandkid…and the protection would cost a whopping $300
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A $300 vaccine could help protect thousands of vulnerable Australians—but many can’t afford it.
As RSV cases surge across the country, calls are growing louder for the government to act.
Some older Australians are ending up in hospital, or worse, simply because protection is out of reach.
Anne Fidler thought she had picked up a simple cold from her granddaughter.
Instead, she quickly found herself battling severe symptoms, including chest wheezing, headaches, and a runny nose.
‘Trying to get breath into my lungs, which was the hard part, that I thought this is not normal,’ she said.
Her pre-existing lung condition worsened the illness—one that’s now been confirmed as respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
She is not alone.
The virus has already infected nearly 120,000 Australians this year, and health experts warn the situation could worsen as the season progresses.
Mater’s director of infectious diseases, Professor Paul Griffin, said the virus could be deadly.
‘Unfortunately a proportion of them don’t survive,’ he said.
Griffin explained the $300 RSV vaccine had been shown to significantly reduce severe outcomes for older adults, especially those with underlying conditions.
Despite the benefit, the vaccine remains out of reach for many.
At present, it is only freely available to pregnant women—offering indirect protection to newborns—or to babies via an immunisation product if their mothers weren’t vaccinated during pregnancy.
Everyone else must pay the full cost.
‘There are lots of groups that would really like to see this vaccine funded,’ said Griffin.
One of those groups is the Lung Foundation, whose CEO Mark Brooke has urged the federal government to act.
‘We encourage the Australian government to add the RSV vaccination to the national immunisation program for those that it is clinically recommended,’ he said
There are currently three vaccines approved for Australians aged 60 and over.
However, to be added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP), they must be considered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).
So far, the PBAC has recommended funding for Pfizer’s version—but only for people aged 75 and over, and eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults.
Even with that recommendation, it has yet to be added to the NIP due to concerns around cost-effectiveness.
Pfizer stated it was actively working with the Department of Health to move the process forward.
GlaxoSmithKline and Moderna have also lodged funding submissions for their RSV vaccines.
Until then, vulnerable Australians are being encouraged to take matters into their own hands.
‘Wearing a mask, or staying away from your family members when they are unwell, are all little precautions that we can take that go a long way to keeping you safe,’ said Brooke.
If the idea of paying $300 for a potentially life-saving vaccine feels frustrating, you're not alone.
Access isn't the only issue—many people aren’t getting vaccinated at all, even when it's free.
Here’s a closer look at why vaccination rates are falling, and what that could mean for your health.
Read more: Plummeting vaccine rates spark warnings across the country. Are you at risk?
How many more lives must be put at risk before access to protection becomes a priority?
As RSV cases surge across the country, calls are growing louder for the government to act.
Some older Australians are ending up in hospital, or worse, simply because protection is out of reach.
Anne Fidler thought she had picked up a simple cold from her granddaughter.
Instead, she quickly found herself battling severe symptoms, including chest wheezing, headaches, and a runny nose.
‘Trying to get breath into my lungs, which was the hard part, that I thought this is not normal,’ she said.
Struggling to breathe after catching RSV from grandchild. Image source: Pexels/Alex Green
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.
Disclaimer: This is a stock image used for illustrative purposes only and does not depict the actual person, item, or event described.
Her pre-existing lung condition worsened the illness—one that’s now been confirmed as respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.
She is not alone.
The virus has already infected nearly 120,000 Australians this year, and health experts warn the situation could worsen as the season progresses.
Mater’s director of infectious diseases, Professor Paul Griffin, said the virus could be deadly.
‘Unfortunately a proportion of them don’t survive,’ he said.
Griffin explained the $300 RSV vaccine had been shown to significantly reduce severe outcomes for older adults, especially those with underlying conditions.
Despite the benefit, the vaccine remains out of reach for many.
At present, it is only freely available to pregnant women—offering indirect protection to newborns—or to babies via an immunisation product if their mothers weren’t vaccinated during pregnancy.
Everyone else must pay the full cost.
‘There are lots of groups that would really like to see this vaccine funded,’ said Griffin.
One of those groups is the Lung Foundation, whose CEO Mark Brooke has urged the federal government to act.
‘We encourage the Australian government to add the RSV vaccination to the national immunisation program for those that it is clinically recommended,’ he said
There are currently three vaccines approved for Australians aged 60 and over.
However, to be added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP), they must be considered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC).
So far, the PBAC has recommended funding for Pfizer’s version—but only for people aged 75 and over, and eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults.
Even with that recommendation, it has yet to be added to the NIP due to concerns around cost-effectiveness.
Pfizer stated it was actively working with the Department of Health to move the process forward.
GlaxoSmithKline and Moderna have also lodged funding submissions for their RSV vaccines.
Until then, vulnerable Australians are being encouraged to take matters into their own hands.
‘Wearing a mask, or staying away from your family members when they are unwell, are all little precautions that we can take that go a long way to keeping you safe,’ said Brooke.
If the idea of paying $300 for a potentially life-saving vaccine feels frustrating, you're not alone.
Access isn't the only issue—many people aren’t getting vaccinated at all, even when it's free.
Here’s a closer look at why vaccination rates are falling, and what that could mean for your health.
Read more: Plummeting vaccine rates spark warnings across the country. Are you at risk?
How many more lives must be put at risk before access to protection becomes a priority?
