LHSC opens RSV immunization clinic for those without primary care provider

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations are now available for eligible patients who do not have a primary care provider through Children’s Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).

RSV is a respiratory virus that can cause cold-like symptoms or lung infections, especially in infants and older adults.

Located in the Paediatric Medical Day Unit, the new RSV Immunization Clinic is meant to “bridge a gap” between infants who have a primary care provider and those who do not.

Although an RSV vaccine was previously available, a high cost and short window of protection made it impractical for widespread use. A new vaccine with lower cost of administration, and longer window is available for all infants.

Vials of the new RSV vaccine at LHSC, November 5, 2024 (Bailey Shakyaver/CTV News London)

Nurse Practitioner Erin Fleischer said the program is meant to bridge the gap for people without a primary care provider, and reduce future hospital visits, “RSV is a virus that comes around every fall - for most of us it's a cold and it stays in our upper airways... But we know that for our infant population, especially those babies that are under six months of age, they are at risk of that illness going from their upper airways down into their lower airways, where it could cause an inflammation and swelling, maybe leading to pneumonia.”

The hope is that the clinic will reduce the number of children admitted to hospital with RSV, freeing up capacity for other patients, “Success would be seeing, that we don't have as many emerge department visits this year,” said Fleischer. “We always hear about, you know, bed closures and everything during the viral season and kids being stuck in the emergency department waiting for beds… success would be, you know, not hopefully having that happen.”

All infants born on or after Jan. 1, 2024, can be immunized at the twice-weekly clinic if they don’t have a primary care provider.

To make an appointment, call 519-685-8500 ext. 50071 and leave a message with your child’s name and date of birth. A representative will call you back with an appointment date and time.