RSV, short for respiratory syncytial virus, is a common respiratory infection. For most healthy adults it passes like a bad cold. For older adults, and for people with chronic heart or lung disease, a weakened immune system, or general frailty, it can lead to severe lower respiratory illness — pneumonia or a hospital stay. That gap in outcomes is why Canada now has an RSV vaccine aimed specifically at higher-risk older adults, and why Ontario funds it for some of that group and not others.
Who the vaccine is for
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the RSV vaccine particularly for:
- Adults 75 and older, regardless of other health conditions.
- Adults 60 to 74 who have chronic cardiorespiratory conditions, a weakened immune system, significant frailty, or who live in a long-term care home or other congregate setting.
It is not aimed at the general population under 60. Healthy younger adults are not a target group for this vaccine — the benefit is concentrated where the risk of severe illness is concentrated.
One dose, not a series
Unlike some other vaccines given at this clinic, the RSV vaccine is a single dose, not a multi-dose series. Whether a repeat dose will eventually be recommended down the line is still being studied by NACI and international bodies, so there is no fixed booster schedule to describe yet. If that changes, this page will be updated — but as of now, one dose is what current guidance calls for.
When to get it
RSV circulates seasonally, and in Ontario that generally means the virus picks up in late summer and early fall before peaking over the winter. The recommendation is to get vaccinated ahead of that rise, rather than waiting until RSV is already going around. If you are in one of the higher-risk groups above, timing your dose for late summer or early fall gives the vaccine time to take effect before the season builds.
What "publicly funded" actually means here
This is the part that trips people up. Ontario's public funding for the RSV vaccine has targeted higher-risk seniors — but the exact age and health criteria that qualify someone for a no-cost dose depend on age, health conditions and living situation, and those criteria change from year to year as the program is reviewed. There is no single, permanent cutoff we can print here and expect it to stay accurate.
In practice, that means the honest answer to "am I covered?" is: it depends on your specific age and health profile, and on what Ontario's program covers this year. The only way to know for certain is to check current program details or ask when you book.
Outside of whatever the funded criteria are in a given year, the vaccine is still available — just as a self-pay or insurance-covered option rather than a no-cost one.
What this post does not cover
This article is about the RSV vaccine for adults and older adults. It does not cover RSV vaccination during pregnancy, or RSV monoclonal antibody products given to infants — both are separate programs, with their own eligibility rules, that this post is not describing.
Confirm before you book
Program eligibility and funding rules are reviewed and can change. As of August 2026, confirm current eligibility either at ontario.ca or by calling the clinic directly before assuming a specific age or condition qualifies you for a funded dose.
To find out whether you qualify and to book a visit, see the RSV vaccine page for 750 Dundas St W.