EU: authorization of a vaccine to protect babies from bronchiolitis

Pregnant women can now be vaccinated to protect newborns.

The European Commission announced on Friday that it has authorized a first vaccine to be given to pregnant women to protect babies against bronchiolitis, an infection of the respiratory tract.

The vaccine, intended to protect both future infants through their mothers and those aged 60 and over, was approved by the EMA in July.

‘As we head into the fall and winter, this vaccine can help prevent the serious consequences of RSV for our most vulnerable citizens. This is particularly important for our children, for whom RSV is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the EU,’ commented EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides in a statement.