Seniors Face Challenges in Accepting New Three-Shot RSV Vaccine for Fall Lineup

U.S. officials and drugmakers are promoting new vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in hopes that seniors will accept a trifecta of RSV, flu, and COVID-19 shots to keep their lungs and hospital rooms clear this fall.

While doctors already urge patients to get a flu shot each year, and COVID-19 shots were widely promoted during the pandemic, now drugmakers such as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are running ads and enlisting NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson to promote the first vaccine for RSV. Pfizer also received approval for its own RSV vaccine. These vaccines will be available to seniors this fall.

However, federal officials are recommending RSV vaccines for persons 60 and older under a “shared clinical decision-making” framework. This means that patients and doctors should discuss the vaccine, rather than it being an automatic recommendation.

Medical experts believe that older patients, particularly those with heart and lung issues, will benefit the most from all three shots against RSV, flu, and COVID-19. However, there may be hesitation among seniors to receive all three vaccines simultaneously.

According to William Schaffner, an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University, there will likely be a substantial number of people who are willing to receive the flu and COVID-19 shots at the same time but may be more hesitant to come back for the third shot, which is likely to be the RSV vaccine.

The RSV virus hit hard in fall 2022, raising concerns about a “triple pandemic” alongside the flu and COVID-19. The diseases peaked in November, prompting drugmakers to release clinical data showing the effectiveness of their shots against RSV in adults aged 60 and up.

To overcome vaccine hesitancy, drugmakers and immunization managers are spreading the word among senior homes and doctors who serve older patients. There is hope that providers who are aware of the burden of RSV will be delighted to have these new vaccines for their 60-and-older patients.

It is challenging to gauge public interest in the RSV vaccine, but last year’s rough RSV season has put the virus on people’s radar. However, most adult patients are unlikely to accept three vaccines at the same time, so it may be necessary for them to come back for the RSV vaccine separately.

Adding a third shot will be a key test of seniors’ willingness to receive multiple vaccines this fall. Vaccine hesitancy has been a concern, especially among those who have experienced vaccine fatigue.

The RSV vaccines from GSK and Pfizer have been thoroughly tested for safety and efficacy. GSK estimates that nearly 56 million American seniors could benefit from the RSV vaccine, as RSV causes numerous hospitalizations and deaths among seniors each year.

The CDC has endorsed both vaccines, and doctors and patients should consider factors such as the patient’s medical history, side effects, and the patient’s preference in deciding whether to get the RSV vaccine.

Promotion efforts for the RSV vaccine include a major television ad campaign by GSK and the involvement of NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who is raising awareness about the disease and vaccine on his social media pages.

While there may be challenges in getting seniors to accept the new three-shot RSV vaccine, health professionals will use the coming year to assess the duration of vaccine effectiveness and determine if recipients need to take a shot every year.

Overall, it is important to educate healthcare providers and patients about the importance of getting all three vaccines to protect against RSV, flu, and COVID-19.