By John Kidman

RSV jabs are being made free for older Australians.

The respiratory syncytial virus vaccinations will be available without charge to people 75 and older to ensure protection from the common and potentially deadly pathogen.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians aged 60 and older will also be able to receive free immunisations from GPs, clinics and participating pharmacies from May 15.

The federal government has invested more than $440 million to provide the RSV vaccine Arexvy through the National Immunisation Program.

Without listing, the jab would typically cost $300.

“Aged care residents and older First Nations people are particularly vulnerable to this common respiratory illness,” Health Minister Mark Butler said.

“Booking yourself and your family in for a flu vaccine each year is the safest and most effective way to protect yourselves and others against influenza.”

RSV is a common respiratory virus that can lead to hospitalisation, intensive care and death.

Aged care residents are particularly vulnerable due to shared living arrangements and frequent contact with staff and visitors.

More than 225,000 Australian mums have received the maternal RSV vaccine in the past 14 months to protect babies from serious illness.

Some 50,000 of them have opted in since February alone.

The success of the program has resulted in an almost 10 per cent drop in RSV notifications for young children – from 86,000 cases in 2024 to 78,000 in 2025.

“No two influenza seasons are the same and the flu can spread all year round, so it’s never too late to get vaccinated,” Mr Butler said.

Retired West Australian mayor, grandmother and great-grandmother Sue Doherty contracted RSV in 2021.

Her condition escalated and she developed acute bronchitis with relentless coughing and severe breathlessness.

Despite the severity of her symptoms, the now 78-year-old remained at home to recover, with her daughter, a nurse, surprised she wasn’t admitted to hospital.

Ms Doherty described the experience as frightening.

“I hope my experience will encourage others to be more inquisitive and ask questions,” she said.

“Don’t take your health for granted just because you’ve got what you think is a cold or a cough or maybe bronchitis.”

Ms Doherty took about six months to recover and is still conscious of her breathing.

RSV has long been under-recognised as a serious health threat in older adults, according to the Sydney School of Medicine’s Professor Charlotte Hespe.

“Enabling older Australians to access a funded RSV vaccine is a proactive step towards prevention,” she said.

“Arexvy can be given at the same time as the flu jab, making appointments more time efficient.”