Free RSV program expanded to protect at-risk over 50s
The Western Australian Government has expanded its free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination program, increasing access for vulnerable adults aged over 50 ahead of the winter season. The move builds on the Commonwealth’s new RSV vaccination program for adults aged 75 years and older and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 60 years and over.
Additional groups now eligible for free RSV vaccination in WA include:
- Residents of residential aged care facilities aged 50–74 years
- Commonwealth Support at Home recipients aged 50–74 years
- People experiencing homelessness aged 60–74 years
- Residents in specialist disability accommodation, corrective services, or residential mental health services aged 60–74 years
- Medically at-risk individuals within these groups aged 50–59 years
In 2025, Western Australia recorded 12,803 RSV cases, with adults aged 65 years and over accounting for 21% of infections and more than 700 hospitalisations. The expanded program aims to improve protection for populations at increased risk of severe RSV illness and complications.
The initiative follows WA’s maternal and infant RSV immunisation program and reflects growing efforts to reduce the burden of RSV in older and vulnerable populations.
Read the full announcement:
WA Government media release on expanded free RSV vaccination access