Respiratory Syncytial Virus vaccination campaigns expand in Argentina and Peru

Health authorities in Argentina and Peru are implementing vaccination campaigns against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) to protect newborns. In Jujuy, Argentina, a preventive operation between January and August reached 99% coverage among pregnant women, with 3,477 individuals vaccinated.

Data from the Argentine campaign indicates that prenatal vaccination reduced hospitalizations in infants under six months by 62% and intensive care unit admissions by 70%. Specialists noted that the vaccine is approximately 81% effective in preventing severe forms of the virus during a baby's first trimester.

In Peru, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) provides the RSV vaccine free of charge to pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation. This immunization strategy, incorporated into the National Immunization Scheme in June 2026, works by transferring antibodies from the mother to the fetus through the placenta, providing protection from birth.