RSV protection for your baby in Singapore: the pregnancy vaccine or the newborn antibody

You can protect your baby from RSV in Singapore in one of two ways. You have the RSV vaccine at 32 to 36 weeks of pregnancy, or your baby has an antibody jab called nirsevimab, usually at birth. The CDC says most babies don't need both. MOH's Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE) says no RSV jab is on the MOH Subsidised Vaccine List, so you pay the clinic's price.

How to protect your baby from RSV, step by step

1. Ask your gynae about RSV at an antenatal visit before week 32. KKH gives the pregnancy vaccine between 32 and 36 weeks, so decide before that window opens.
2. Pick one route with your gynae: the vaccine for you now, or the antibody for your baby after birth. ACE found no reliable proof that the antibody works better than the vaccine for all babies.
3. Ask the price before you book. ACE says no RSV jab is on the MOH Subsidised Vaccine List, so there's no MOH subsidy for either route.
4. Book the vaccine for weeks 32 to 36 if you choose it. HealthHub says it's one injection into your upper arm, and KKH says it may protect your baby less after 36 weeks.
5. Write down the date you had it. The CDC says protection takes about 2 weeks to build and reach your baby.
6. Tell the paediatrician at the birth whether you had the vaccine and when. ACE notes that a baby born less than 14 days after your jab may still need the antibody.
7. Ask for nirsevimab before you go home if you skipped the vaccine. ACE says it's one injection into a muscle, usually given at birth or before you leave hospital, to cover your baby's first year.
8. Ask about the antibody anyway if your baby is premature or has a heart or lung condition. ACE lists high-risk babies among those who may need it even after the vaccine.
9. Keep the record with your baby's other jabs. Our vaccination schedule tool shows what comes next.

Why RSV matters for young babies

RSV is a common virus that spreads like a cold. ACE says most children have had it by age 2, and the first infection is often the worst. KKH says RSV is the leading cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in babies under one. It also says babies under 6 months make up about 75 to 80% of RSV hospital stays.

KKH says the risk is higher for very young babies, babies born early, and babies with heart, lung or immune conditions. RSV also has no winter here. KKH says it circulates all year round in Singapore, and ACE counts a baby's first RSV season as the whole first year. So US advice that ties the jab to certain months doesn't fit Singapore. Ask your own doctor about timing.

The pregnancy vaccine and the baby antibody, side by side

If you had the vaccine at least 2 weeks before the birth, your baby usually needs nothing more (CDC). ACE notes local doctors may still advise the antibody after the vaccine for:

• babies at high risk of severe RSV, such as those born early or with lung or heart disease
• babies whose mothers have a weak immune system and may not respond well to the vaccine
• babies who lose the mother's antibodies, for example after heart-lung bypass
• babies born less than 14 days after the mother's jab

What's available in Singapore today

Both routes are approved here. ACE lists the pregnancy vaccine and two long-acting antibodies, nirsevimab and clesrovimab, as HSA-approved options for a baby's first RSV season. KKH's obstetric team includes the RSV vaccine in its guide to vaccines for pregnancy.

On 1 July 2026, ACE published MOH's Drug Advisory Committee decision not to add nirsevimab to the Subsidised Vaccine List. It cited the cost effectiveness and the price the company proposed. It's still approved, so you can ask for it and pay the full price. ACE's summary for parents says your doctor can advise whether nirsevimab or another option suits your child.

We found no official price for either route. Ask your gynae's clinic and your delivery hospital what they charge, and whether they stock the antibody, before your due date. For the timing of everything else from week 28, see our third trimester checklist and 32 weeks pregnant. The jabs your baby gets anyway are in our guide to the national childhood immunisation schedule.

Habits that lower your baby's risk

A jab works best with a few daily habits. HealthHub and KKH suggest these:

• Keep hands clean. HealthHub says this goes for you, your baby and anyone who touches your baby.
• Keep your baby away from people who are ill (HealthHub).
• Keep breastfeeding if you can. HealthHub says breast milk boosts your baby's immunity.
• Keep your baby away from smoke (KKH).
• Keep up your baby's routine immunisations (HealthHub).

For how to ask family to wait until they're well, see our newborn visitors guide.

RSV symptoms in a baby

RSV usually starts like a cold. KKH says bronchiolitis begins as a cold, then brings a cough and breathlessness that can disrupt feeding and sleep. ACE says signs of more serious illness include coughing, wheezing, a poor appetite, irritability, shortness of breath and fever.

KKH says babies with bronchiolitis are usually sick for three to five days, then recover over the next three. The cough can last two to three weeks. For a blocked nose and noisy breathing at home, see our baby blocked nose guide.

When to see a doctor

NUH says a baby with breathing trouble should see a doctor as soon as possible. Watch for these signs:

• Fast breathing. NUH says 40 to 50 breaths a minute counts as fast for a child under 2.
• Skin at the neck, chest or tummy sinking in with each breath (NUH).
• Not feeding or taking fluids well (KKH).
• No wet nappy in the last six to eight hours, with dry lips (KKH).
• Lethargic, or irritable and hard to calm (KKH).
• Any fever or illness in a baby under 3 months. KKH's Children's Emergency treats this as an emergency.

Go to the emergency department now if your baby has bluish lips or is gasping for air, says HealthHub. KKH's Children's Emergency also lists a baby who looks pale, ashen or blue. In an emergency, call 995.

Where to go: for a mild cold with good feeding, KKH says your family doctor or a polyclinic is faster and cheaper. For breathing trouble, go to KKH Children's Emergency or NUH Children's Emergency. Unsure about a fever? Try our fever checker.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an RSV vaccine for babies in Singapore?

Not a vaccine given to the baby. Your baby can have nirsevimab, an antibody jab that ACE says is usually given at birth or before you leave hospital. The vaccine route is for you, at 32 to 36 weeks of pregnancy.

Can I get the RSV vaccine in pregnancy in Singapore after 36 weeks?

You can, but KKH says it may not protect your baby as well that close to delivery. If you're past 36 weeks, ask your paediatrician about nirsevimab for your baby after birth.

How much does nirsevimab cost in Singapore?

We found no official price. ACE says it isn't subsidised, so you pay the hospital's or clinic's own price. Ask your delivery hospital before your due date.

Is the RSV vaccine safe in pregnancy?

KKH says side effects are usually mild: pain, redness and swelling where the needle went in. HealthHub says to tell your doctor first about allergies, a high fever, bleeding problems or a weak immune system. KKH also says you can breastfeed after it.

What are RSV symptoms in a baby?

It starts like a cold, then a cough and faster or harder breathing. KKH says it can make feeding and sleep harder. Fast breathing, poor feeding or fewer wet nappies mean it's time to see a doctor.

Which RSV protection for babies in Singapore is better, and do I need both?

ACE found no reliable proof that the antibody beats the pregnancy vaccine for all babies. The CDC says most babies don't need both. ACE notes the antibody may still help after the vaccine if your baby is high risk or born less than 14 days after your jab.