Is RSV going around in the United Kingdom?

RSV in the UK typically returns each autumn, rises through November, and peaks between December and February before fading in spring. Intensity varies year to year. UKHSA reports RSV activity weekly within the national influenza and COVID-19 surveillance bulletin, and publishes hospital admission trends for bronchiolitis, which is the clinical entry point for most infant RSV cases.

The two main groups at highest risk of severe RSV are infants, especially those under six months and those born prematurely or with heart or lung conditions, and older adults, particularly those aged 75 and above or living with chronic respiratory or cardiac disease. In otherwise healthy adults RSV usually resembles a common cold and resolves within a week or two.

Yes. Since 2024 the NHS offers an RSV vaccine to pregnant women from 28 weeks of pregnancy, which protects infants in the first months of life, and to adults aged 75 to 79. UKHSA monitors the impact of the programme on hospital admissions. For infants not covered by maternal vaccination, the monoclonal antibody nirsevimab is used in specific high-risk groups under JCVI guidance.

UKHSA tracks RSV through the DataMart laboratory reporting system, the SARI-Watch hospital network, and sentinel swabbing in RCGP practices where respiratory samples are tested for multiple pathogens including RSV. Results feed into the UKHSA Dashboard and weekly surveillance reports, which show both the level of activity and how current signals compare to historical baselines.

RSV and influenza both cause respiratory infections and circulate together during UK winters, but their risk profiles differ. RSV is the leading cause of bronchiolitis in infants, while flu affects all age groups and carries elevated risk in older adults and people with chronic conditions. Symptoms overlap, and laboratory testing is usually needed to tell them apart reliably.