Is RSV going around in Poland?

RSV activity in Poland broadly tracks the winter respiratory season, with the main wave typically climbing from late autumn, peaking between January and March, and easing into spring. The exact timing varies from year to year. Post-pandemic seasons have in some cases shifted earlier or produced sharper peaks, a pattern observed across Europe and reflected in ERVISS reporting.

NIZP PZH integrates RSV into its respiratory-virus surveillance, using sentinel primary-care sites and reference laboratories to produce weekly indicators of RSV positivity. These feed into ECDC's ERVISS, where RSV is reported alongside influenza and SARS-CoV-2. The combined panel lets Polish authorities track when RSV pressure on paediatric services is building relative to flu.

The highest-risk groups in Poland mirror international patterns: infants (especially those under six months and former preterm babies) and adults aged 60 and older, particularly those with chronic cardiopulmonary conditions. In these groups RSV can progress to bronchiolitis or pneumonia requiring hospital care. Preventive antibodies for infants and adult RSV vaccines are now available in Poland for qualifying groups.

Because Poland reports into ERVISS, its RSV curve can be compared directly with other EU/EEA countries using the same tiered classifications. Polish peaks frequently sit within a few weeks of the central and eastern European cluster. This cross-country view helps clinicians and public-health teams anticipate paediatric admissions pressure before it fully materialises at home.

Although flu and RSV share a winter footprint in Poland, the RSV signal is dominated by paediatric presentations, bronchiolitis in the very young, while flu affects all age bands more evenly. In ERVISS terms, RSV and influenza are tracked as separate positivity streams within the same respiratory panel. Distinguishing them reliably usually requires a laboratory test; symptom overlap is too wide for a clinical call.