PREPARED BY: Immunization
DATE: 2026-05-14
SUBJECT: 2025-26 RSV Vaccination Program Summary
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains an important cause of seasonal respiratory illness, particularly among infants, older adults, and individuals at increased risk of severe disease. For the 2025–2026 respiratory illness season, Ontario’s publicly funded RSV prevention program included RSV vaccine for eligible older adults and pregnant individuals, and RSV monoclonal antibody protection for eligible infants and high-risk children. The WECHU plays a key role in supporting the provincial publicly funded RSV immunization program in Windsor and Essex County through product inventory management and distribution, provider communication and support, direct immunization opportunities, and ongoing review of local surveillance and program data.
DISCUSSION
Updated data from Public Health Ontario’s Respiratory Virus Tool show that RSV circulated throughout the 2025–2026 respiratory illness season in Windsor and Essex County and remained active into early April 2026. From the week beginning September 28, 2025, to the week beginning April 5, 2026, the average weekly RSV percent positivity was 4.9%, peaking at 9.6% in the week beginning March 1, 2026.
During the same period, Windsor and Essex County recorded 133 RSV hospital admissions, compared with 144 in the same period in 2024–2025, representing a 7.6% decrease. Weekly admissions peaked at 11 in the week beginning December 7, 2025. These findings suggest that although RSV hospital admissions were lower than the previous season, local RSV activity persisted later into the season. Notably, the older adult RSV prevention program continues year-round for eligible individuals, as the RSV vaccine has demonstrated multi-year protection. As such, vaccination can be administered outside the RSV season, supporting ongoing protection for this high-risk population.
RSV Immunization Activity
For the 2025–2026 respiratory illness season, the publicly funded RSV program continued to support protection for eligible older adults, infants, high-risk children, and pregnant individuals. The WECHU supported this work through direct immunization clinics, as well as product distribution and support for healthcare providers.
During the 2025–2026 season, the WECHU administered 468 RSV immunizations, compared with 622 in 2024–2025. This included 443 immunizations for older adults, 22 for infants under 12 months of age, and 3 for pregnant individuals between 32 and 36 weeks of gestation.
BORN Ontario data for Windsor and Essex County indicate that between October 2025 and March 2026, there were 1,593 live births, of which 629 infants (39.5%) were recorded as having received RSV monoclonal antibody prophylaxis in hospital before discharge.
The WECHU also supported access through 54 in-house clinics and 17 mobile community clinics, which also offered co-immunization of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Mobile community clinics were delivered in partnership with retirement homes, long-term care homes, community housing sites, and other community partners such as the Downtown Mission, Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation, and the Alzheimer Society of Windsor & Essex County, to prioritize accessibility and health equity, with a focus on populations at greatest risk.
RSV Vaccine Distribution
During the 2025–2026 respiratory illness season, the WECHU received 21,120 RSV doses and distributed 19,525 doses across Windsor and Essex County. Vaccine administration provided through hospitals, primary care, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and other community-based partners, reflecting broad provider participation and strong regional distribution to support access for eligible populations.
| Setting | Doses Distributed by WECHU: RSV Vaccine |
Doses Distributed by WECHU: RSV Monoclonal Antibody |
|---|---|---|
| LTC | 411 | n/a |
| Retirement Homes | 85 | n/a |
| Hospitals | 36 | 1,010 |
| Primary Care | 15,442 | 1,769 |
| Agencies | 772 | n/a |
| Total | 16,746 | 2,779 |
Program Planning for 2026–2027
For the 2026–2027 respiratory illness season, the WECHU will continue to adapt its local RSV program approach, informed by Ministry direction, community needs, and findings from Public Health Ontario’s Infant and High-Risk Children RSV Prevention Program Evaluation. Priority areas for continued improvement include:
- Enhancing early collaboration and planning with hospitals, birthing hospitals, primary care, pediatricians, obstetrical care providers, retirement homes, and long-term care homes.
- Maintaining provider support on eligibility, product use, documentation, and ordering processes.
- Improving public communication on RSV prevention and local access points for eligible populations.
- Continuing in-house and mobile community clinics while expanding partnerships to strengthen outreach and reduce access barriers for higher-risk groups.
- Working with hospital and community partners to promote increased uptake among eligible newborns, infants, pregnant individuals, older adults, and other priority populations.