Tony Wood, GSK’s chief scientific officer, said: “We are excited by this new data which shows that a single dose of Arexvy could help protect millions of older adults at risk of RSV disease over three seasons to benefit public health. This is the only RSV vaccine with efficacy and safety data available through three full seasons.”

The protection also held across different strains, for people in their 70s, and for those with underlying medical conditions.

In most cases, adequate hydration and over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage your symptoms during the week or two it takes to recover from RSV. But children under 5 and adults 60 and older are at high risk of severe infection resulting in hospitalization. The latter are also in danger of death.

The Alberta government announced Monday that the RSV vaccine, Abyrsvo, will be provincially funded for Albertans, aged 60 and up, who live in continuing care and supportive living homes. Limited supplies of the provincially funded vaccine will also be available to people 75 and older, who live in the community.

Dr. Jaunita Mora said the respiratory syncytial virus is the leading cause of infant hospitalizations. Here are the people she said are most vulnerable to the disease.

RSV hospitalizes thousands of people in the US every year. Three new vaccines could help stem the spread, but there are already huge inequities in access and uptake.