Brazilian Cities Begin Maternal RSV Vaccinations Using Pfizer’s Abrysvo

Overview

• Fortaleza, Recife, Juiz de Fora, Piracicaba and São José do Rio Preto began offering the vaccine at public clinics this week, with Fortaleza making doses available at all 134 health posts.
• State health secretariats are distributing initial shipments from the Ministry of Health, including a first lot of just over 10,000 doses for Rio Grande do Norte to allocate to municipalities.
• Recife received 4,470 of the 30,700 doses sent to Pernambuco and set a goal to vaccinate 80% of pregnant women, while Piracicaba is targeting similar coverage based on its estimated gestant population.
• The immunization in use is Abrysvo from Pfizer, approved by Anvisa in April 2024, and local officials cite studies reporting about 81.8% efficacy against severe respiratory illness in infants in the early months.
• Guidance specifies eligibility from 28 weeks with a single dose per pregnancy, no maternal age limit, required identification and prenatal documentation, allowed co-administration with other gestational vaccines, and deferral for fever or known vaccine-component allergy.