The Cyprus pulmonology society on Thursday urged Health Minister Michael Damianos to approve a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for use Cyprus.

 The society also seeks its inclusion into the government’s vaccination programme under Gesy.

The RSV vaccine helps to protect against the respiratory syncytial virus, which is a common cause of coughs and colds. The disease can cause pneumonia and bronchiolitis among babies and the elderly and bring about serious breathing problems.

As such, in other countries, the RSV vaccine is offered and recommended to certain population groups.

In the United Kingdom, for example, the country’s national health service recommends the vaccine for pregnant women and all people aged between 75 and 79 years old.

Pulmonology society chairman Dr Alexis Papadopoulos, highlighted RSV as the leading cause of viral lower respiratory infections in children.

The society recommends vaccination with either of the two Rsv vaccines (RSVPreF3 and RSVpreF), which were approved by the European medicines agency in 2023.

The recommendation comes as hospitals are struggling with increased admissions, while doctors report a surge in cases of flu-like symptoms among patients

The society strongly advises vaccination for high-risk groups. These include patients with cystic fibrosis, severe interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and those with heart conditions.

It also recommends the vaccine for asthma patients, especially those with severe forms, and individuals over 60 years old with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, chronic kidney or liver disease, and immune disorders. It further advises vaccination for all individuals over the age of 75.