By A/Prof Hannah Mooreb, Ms Fiona Gianninic and Prof Chris Blythd
Researchers from the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at The Kids Research Institute Australia, have launched an online guidance tool designed to help families and health care providers in WA learn the best way to protect babies and young children against life-threatening RSV.
Both the RSV vaccine in pregnancy (Abrysvo) and immunisation for newborns (Beyfortus, or Nirsevimab) offer excellent protection for young babies vulnerable to potentially serious RSV infections in their first few months of life, but it can be complex to determine which immunisation strategy families might be eligible for as part of Australia’s new RSV Maternal and Infant Immunisation Program.
How does the tool work?
The new guidance tool clarifies for parents which RSV vaccines or immunisations they are eligible for and is equally useful for health care practitioners to help guide discussions with their patients on eligibility. It is simple and easy to use with pull down menus, which could be used in a short GP consultation with families.
Questions asked include:
- Stage of pregnancy
- If they reside in the Kimberley or Pilbara regions of WA (that see a different seasonal pattern of RSV infections)
- Presence of medical conditions
- Dates of birth for younger children and whether younger children have received a previous immunisation for RSV in 2024.
The tool then provides information according to criteria set by WA Department of Health, letting parents know their eligibility for a vaccine given to pregnant women and/or a monoclonal antibody for their baby at or after birth.
Why was the tool developed?
The guidance tool was developed in response to many families finding it hard to interpret the newly launched RSV immunisation program. The research group, led by Associate Professor Hannah Moore, were in discussions with their RSV community reference group and quickly realised how complex it could be for families to understand what the new immunisations were, and which one was best suited for their own situation. Equally this could be challenging for GPs and other health care providers to appropriately guide families in these discussions.
Each recommendation in the guidance tool has been reviewed by The Kids Research Institute Australia expert epidemiology research team and their RSV community reference group, and immunisation policy makers within WA Department of Health.
The tool has the potential to provide up to 200 unique combinations of answers to provide a truly individualised response on recommended RSV immunisation options. In the eight weeks since its launch, more than 580 users have accessed the online tool.
The RSV Immunisation Guidance Tool was developed as part of the STAMP-RSV Program, funded by the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation.
About the authors:
b. A/Prof Hannah Moore, Theme Head, Infectious Diseases, Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia; School of Population Health, Curtin University
c. Ms Fiona Giannini, PhD Student and Mathematical Modeller, The Kids Research Institute Australia; Australian National University
d. Prof Chris Blyth, Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Western Australia; Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, The Kids Research Institute Australia