Massachusetts Extends RSV Immunizations for Infants Through April 30, 2026
Summary
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has extended its recommendation for RSV monoclonal antibody immunizations for eligible infants through April 30, 2026, due to ongoing elevated RSV activity. This advisory urges healthcare providers to continue administering these preventive measures to protect vulnerable infants from severe illness.
What changed
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has issued a clinical advisory extending the recommended administration period for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) monoclonal antibody immunizations for eligible infants until April 30, 2026. This extension is a response to sustained RSV activity observed later into the spring season than typically expected, based on surveillance data from Massachusetts and surrounding states.
Healthcare providers are advised to assess the RSV immunization status of infants and encourage monoclonal antibody protection for those who are eligible and have not yet received it this season. This includes infants younger than 8 months whose mothers were not vaccinated during pregnancy or whose vaccination status is unknown, as well as certain children aged 8 to 19 months at increased risk for severe RSV disease. The advisory emphasizes the importance of these preventive tools in protecting the youngest and most vulnerable populations from severe RSV outcomes.
What to do next
- Administer RSV monoclonal antibody immunizations to eligible infants through April 30, 2026.
- Assess infant RSV immunization status and encourage protection for eligible, unvaccinated infants.
- Monitor RSV trends and adjust recommendations based on real-time data.
Source document (simplified)
- This page, Massachusetts Department of Public Health advises extending RSV immunizations for infants for an additional month , is offered by
- Department of Public Health
- show more
Press Release
Press Release Massachusetts Department of Public Health advises extending RSV immunizations for infants for an additional month
Recommendation extends the immunization window through April 30 because of ongoing elevated RSV activity
For immediate release: 3/24/2026
- Department of Public Health
Media Contact
Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach
Phone
Call Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at (617) 624-5006
Online
Email Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at omar.cabrera@mass.gov
Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) issued a clinical advisory to health care providers recommending that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) monoclonal antibody immunizations continue to be administered to eligible infants through April 30, 2026, in response to ongoing RSV activity across the state and throughout the region.
RSV monoclonal antibody immunizations are typically administered from October through March. The current RSV season, however, began later than usual, and it is continuing further into the spring. Surveillance data show sustained RSV activity in Massachusetts and surrounding states, prompting the extension of the immunization window beyond the usual March 31 endpoint.
“RSV continues to circulate at meaningful levels later into the spring than we typically see,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Public health guidance must reflect the reality of the moment. Extending access to these preventive tools is about matching data and risk with proven measures that can prevent and protect our youngest residents from the most severe effects of this illness.”
RSV, a common respiratory virus, is a leading cause of hospitalization among infants in the United States. While RSV often begins as a mild, cold-like illness, it can lead to serious conditions such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. This illness can be particularly problematic for very young infants and those with underlying medical conditions that make them especially vulnerable to the disease.
In the clinical advisory, DPH urged clinicians to assess the RSV immunization status of infants and encourage monoclonal antibody protection for those who are eligible and have not yet received the immunization during the current season.
Infants younger than 8 months of age should receive RSV monoclonal antibody immunization if their mother was not vaccinated during pregnancy, if maternal vaccination status is unknown, or if they were born within 14 days of maternal vaccination. Certain children aged 8 to 19 months are at increased risk for severe RSV disease – including those with chronic lung disease or prematurity, severe immunocompromise, cystic fibrosis, or other qualifying conditions – and should also receive RSV immunization.
“RSV remains the leading cause of serious respiratory tract infection in infants, and too many young children still are at risk of preventable hospitalization,” said Larry Madoff, MD, Medical Director of DPH’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. “We have a safe, effective way to reduce that risk, and extending access now will help to protect more infants while RSV continues to circulate. We will continue to closely monitor RSV trends and will adjust our approach based on real-time data and what we are seeing in communities across the Commonwealth.”
This extension applies only to infant monoclonal antibody immunization for the 2025-2026 RSV season. The seasonal window for maternal RSV vaccination – September 1 through January 31 – remains unchanged and should not be extended, as maternal vaccination timing cannot be adjusted once pregnancy has progressed.
In addition to infant protection, RSV vaccination is recommended for older adults. Adults aged 75 and older and those aged 50 to 74 with certain underlying conditions should receive a one-time RSV vaccine dose. Unlike infant immunization, RSV vaccination for older adults is not seasonal and can be administered year-round.
For more information, visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Respiratory Illness Dashboard and review current American Academy of Pediatrics guidance on RSV prevention.
Media Contact
Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach
+
Phone
Call Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at (617) 624-5006
Online
Email Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at omar.cabrera@mass.gov
Department of Public Health
Media Contact
Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach
Phone
Call Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at (617) 624-5006
Online
Email Omar Cabrera, Manager of Ethnic Media and Community Outreach at omar.cabrera@mass.gov
Help Us Improve Mass.gov with your feedback
Did you find what you were looking for on this webpage? Yes No If you have any suggestions for the website, please let us know. How can we improve the page? Please do not include personal or contact information. You will not get a response The feedback will only be used for improving the website. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health. Please limit your input to 500 characters.
Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. You will NOT get a response. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health. Please let us know how we can improve this page. Please remove any contact information or personal data from your feedback. You will NOT get a response. If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health. Thank you for your website feedback! We will use this information to improve this page.
If you need assistance, please contact the Department of Public Health.
If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site.
Related changes
Source
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get Pharma & Drug Safety alerts
Weekly digest. AI-summarized, no noise.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when MA Dept of Public Health News publishes new changes.