The essentials
- Usual timing
- Before or during the RSV season, if eligible
- How to get it
- Ask a primary care provider or public health unit about local appointments and funding.
RSV can cause serious breathing illness in babies. Protection aims to reduce severe illness and hospital visits. Ontario’s infant program uses an antibody given to the baby or, in some circumstances, a vaccine during pregnancy.
School status
Seasonal protection for eligible infants and some higher-risk children; not required for school.
Side effects & precautions
The infant antibody can cause an injection-site reaction or rash. The pregnancy vaccine can cause soreness, headache or muscle aches. Side-effect guidance
A severe allergic reaction can occur. Eligibility and timing need review, especially if a pregnancy RSV vaccine was already given. Usually both approaches are not needed; exceptions exist.
Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the tongue or throat. Not sure whether a reaction is expected? Contact a healthcare provider or call 811 for advice. Seek care promptly if symptoms are worrying or getting worse.
A baby under 3 months with a fever needs urgent assessment. Do not assume the fever is from vaccination.
Useful to know
Antibody or vaccine?
Nirsevimab (Beyfortus) is a ready-made antibody, not a vaccine, and is Ontario’s preferred infant option. The 2026–2027 program also offers Abrysvo at 28–36 weeks of pregnancy when delivery is expected during the RSV season. Health Canada authorizes 32–36 weeks; use before 32 weeks is off-label and requires the clinician’s judgment. Ontario 2026–2027 program details
Check the current season
For 2026–2027, the infant program includes babies born on or after April 1, 2026 who are under 8 months when immunized, and certain higher-risk children under 24 months. Confirm eligibility, timing and availability with the care team. Pregnancy vaccination and an infant antibody are not usually both needed, but exceptions apply. Check Ontario’s current RSV program
Ingredients & more detail
Check the exact product
Ask the clinic for the product name. Its official Canadian product information (product monograph) lists ingredients, packaging, side effects and precautions. This page is a short overview, not a complete safety list.
Your next step
Bring the immunization record and a list of questions to the visit. Ask which doses count, what comes next and how to report new doses to public health.
Sources and references (7)
- Ontario — RSV prevention programs
- Public Health Agency of Canada — provincial childhood schedules (July 2026)
- Canadian Paediatric Society — fever and temperature taking
- Health Canada — Drug Product Database and product monographs
- Canadian Immunization Guide — clinical guidance
- Ottawa Public Health — Ontario 2026–2027 respiratory immunization programs
- NACI — updated 2026 infant RSV recommendations
Program details can change. How this guide is reviewed