1. When should I get an RSV vaccine?
3. Does it matter which arm I use for the vaccination?
4. Can I get the RSV vaccine at the same time as my flu shot or COVID booster?
5. Are experts sure these brand-new vaccines are safe?
2. After my shot, how long will I be protected from RSV?
FAQs About the RSV Vaccine
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The best time to get the vaccine is before it tends to start circulating in your area. In most regions of the United States, RSV season typically starts during the fall, peaks in the winter, and tapers off during the spring. However, that timing was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in atypical circulation in recent years. It’s still fine to get vaccinated at a different time of year, though, particularly if you’re at high risk of RSV complications. Individuals ages 60 years and older may receive a single dose of one of these vaccines based on discussions with their healthcare provider about whether RSV vaccination is right for them.
The vaccine is so new, researchers aren’t sure. What they have been able to establish is that it should provide protection for at least the length of one RSV season. Walsh says, “It takes about two weeks to start working, and then it seems to persist thus far well beyond seven months,” which is the full length of an RSV season.
No, it doesn’t. But, as with any other vaccine, your arm may be sore, and the area where the needle goes in may be red for a while after your shot. Doctors recommend getting vaccinated in your nondominant arm. That means a right-handed person should get the vaccine in their left arm, and lefties should get it in their right arm. If you experience pain or soreness at the vaccine site afterward, applying an ice pack may provide relief. You can also ask your doctor if taking an over-the-counter pain reliever may help.
The RSV vaccine can be given at the same visit with other adult vaccines. Receiving multiple vaccines on the same day provides a better opportunity to get up to date with important recommended vaccines. However, common side effects, such as fever and soreness at the injection site, may be increased when the RSV vaccine is given with the flu vaccine. Some studies suggest it’s possible the RSV and flu vaccines may not produce as strong of an immune reaction if they’re given on the same day, but the clinical significance of this is unknown, says Melgar. When deciding whether to give another vaccine at the same visit as RSV vaccine, your healthcare provider might consider whether you are behind or at risk of becoming behind on recommended vaccines, your risk of vaccine-preventable disease, and how likely each vaccine is to cause reactions like pain at the injection site or fever. Additional research is ongoing to further inform guidance on same-day administration of the RSV vaccine and other adult vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
An independent safety committee review did not find safety concerns in the participants who received the Pfizer RSV vaccine during Walsh’s study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. “The safety committee, which looks at it independently from the company and independently from the FDA, reviews all the safety data. They didn’t have any reason to stop the study,” Walsh notes. The GSK vaccine did not bring up any safety issues, either. As more people get vaccinated, andthe vaccine rollout starts and more RSV vaccines become available, the FDA will monitor them for any long-term safety concerns.
