Mothers in Victoria write to health minister amid confusion about RSV injection
When Alissa Holder took her six-month-old baby to get a routine vaccination in April, she had no idea the ordeal she and her child was about to endure.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly infectious illness that infects up to 90 per cent of children in their first two years.
It is one of the most common causes of hospitalisation of infants in Australia.
This year the Victorian government introduced a program to provide free antibody nirsevimab injections, or the RSV shot, to eligible women and infants until late September 2025.
Ms Holder saw seven doctors and five nurses in an effort to get her baby protected against RSV but said she was repeatedly denied the shot despite being eligible.
A nurse from one clinic later confirmed her baby was eligible but that the clinic did not offer nirsevimab.
She was advised to "doctor shop".
On June 7, Ms Holder called triple-0 because her baby was coughing and struggling to breathe. Five days later, Ms Holder's baby tested positive for RSV.
Ms Holder is now part of a group of 10 Ballarat parents with similarly confounding experiences that have written to Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas about "the inequitable, confusing and ultimately dangerous … roll-out of the program in [the Ballarat] area".
Amy Fuller contributed to the letter to Ms Thomas, detailing her month-long "stressful" process to get her newborn the nirsevimab shot.
"We were originally told by the maternal child health nurse when we went for our normal vaccinations that we weren't eligible."
Ms Fuller was later told by a GP that her baby was eligible, but that the clinic did not have any nirsevimab medicine.
"We rang around Ballarat looking for vaccines and most places didn't have them," she said.
Ms Fuller eventually found two clinics that offered the shot but was denied access because they were not "regular patients" at those clinics.
She only recently got her child protected against the virus at a clinic but said there was still confusion.
"They weren't entirely sure [about the injection]," Ms Fuller said.
"One of them told us it was a live vaccine, one told us it wasn't, and they weren't sure if we had to wait 15 minutes or not [afterwards]."
In the letter to the health minister, one mother said their doctors advised them the RSV injection "did not exist" and other parents said that some clinics could only order one dose per week or per month.
Ms Thomas's office did not respond to a request for comment for this article, instead referring the ABC to the Department of Health.
Under the Victorian RSV Mother and Infant Protection Program:
The ABC understands the Department of Health is aware of the confusion about the RSV program within Victorian clinics and has since redistributed information and literature.
"There is no shortage of nirsevimab in Victoria," a department spokesperson said.
"Providers have been advised to order only what they need for scheduled appointments to ensure fair and efficient distribution.
"Order limits have been relaxed as the respiratory illness season has progressed."
The department said it had proactively sought to support health providers with additional information and guidance, including direct engagement with GP clinic staff.
It said 46,000 doses of maternal RSV vaccine Abrysvo and more than 23,000 doses of nirsevimab had been distributed in Victoria.
Ramya Raman, a practising GP and the Royal Australian College of GPs vice-president, said her patients had voiced confusion about the RSV injection.
"The rate at which the public policy has been rolled out has been a little bit staggered and different between the states, and that's probably contributed a little bit to the confusion," Dr Raman said.
She advised against doctor shopping.
"It's important to have a regular GP because it means that that doctor will know exactly the family history, the mum's history, and will be able to advise appropriately whether they are eligible or not eligible," Dr Raman said.
The day after her baby tested positive for RSV, Ms Holder got a call from the first nurse she met with, who apologised.
The nurse went on to say that her baby was in fact eligible for RSV protection and she had since begun administering the jab to other infants as a result of multiple parents asking questions.
"When it comes to health care it's important [governing bodies] don't leave any room for misinterpretation … because it can lead to illness and potentially death," Ms Holder said.
"Make it really clear and simple and in plain English so that anyone can understand it."
Editorial note 4/7/2025: The nirsevimap injection is not a vaccine, but a is a long-acting monoclonal antibody that can be given to infants to protect them from severe Respiratory Syncytial Virus disease. There is an RSV vaccine available for pregnant women, Arexvy and Abrysvo.
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"We rang around Ballarat looking for vaccines and most places didn't have them," she said. Ms Fuller eventually found two clinics that offered the shot but was denied access because they were not "regular patients" at those clinics. She only recently got her child protected against the virus at a clinic but said there was still confusion. "They weren't entirely sure [about the injection]," Ms Fuller said. "One of them told us it was a live vaccine, one told us it wasn't, and they weren't sure if we had to wait 15 minutes or not [afterwards]." In the letter to the health minister, one mother said their doctors advised them the RSV injection "did not exist" and other parents said that some clinics could only order one dose per week or per month. Ms Thomas's office did not respond to a request for comment for this article, instead referring the ABC to the Department of Health. Under the Victorian RSV Mother and Infant Protection Program: The ABC understands the Department of Health is aware of the confusion about the RSV program within Victorian clinics and has since redistributed information and literature. "There is no shortage of nirsevimab in Victoria," a department spokesperson said. "Providers have been advised to order only what they need for scheduled appointments to ensure fair and efficient distribution. "Order limits have been relaxed as the respiratory illness season has progressed." The department said it had proactively sought to support health providers with additional information and guidance, including direct engagement with GP clinic staff. It said 46,000 doses of maternal RSV vaccine Abrysvo and more than 23,000 doses of nirsevimab had been distributed in Victoria. Ramya Raman, a practising GP and the Royal Australian College of GPs vice-president, said her patients had voiced confusion about the RSV injection. "The rate at which the public policy has been rolled out has been a little bit staggered and different between the states, and that's probably contributed a little bit to the confusion," Dr Raman said. She advised against doctor shopping. "It's important to have a regular GP because it means that that doctor will know exactly the family history, the mum's history, and will be able to advise appropriately whether they are eligible or not eligible," Dr Raman said. The day after her baby tested positive for RSV, Ms Holder got a call from the first nurse she met with, who apologised. The nurse went on to say that her baby was in fact eligible for RSV protection and she had since begun administering the jab to other infants as a result of multiple parents asking questions. "When it comes to health care it's important [governing bodies] don't leave any room for misinterpretation … because it can lead to illness and potentially death," Ms Holder said. 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