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On the verge of RSV disease prevention: A communications toolkit

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major, under–recognized public health problem causing more severe respiratory infections and hospitalizations in infants and young children each year than any other pathogen. New immunization tools now recommended for global use by the World Health Organization (WHO) could help change that.

The opportunity to address this pervasive virus has never been better. To raise awareness, WHO and PATH have developed a toolkit of communication materials that public health stakeholders and advocates can use to share information about RSV disease, new prevention tools, and delivery considerations. Other expert contributors include the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington, UMC Utrecht, the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), RRD Design, and more.

To accommodate varying audience and engagement needs, this toolkit includes a stand-alone RSV primer presentation (and fact sheet) providing an overview of RSV disease and prevention options. Also available are modular PowerPoint slides that can be mixed and matched with the primer presentation to dive deeper into key topics for informing understanding and decision-making around RSV prevention. All slides come with speaker notes.

To learn more about the toolkit, visit the web page.

NOTE: Files available here as read-only. Editable files are readily available upon request. Please contact us.

Corporate author(s): PATH, World Health Organization, and other expert contributors

Publication date: March 2025

Available materials

  1. English

    1. On the verge of RSV disease prevention: a primer presentation 10 MB PPTX

      PowerPoint presentation slides and speaker notes providing a high-level overview of RSV disease, its burden, new prevention tools, and delivery considerations. (Available here in read-only format. Editable file available upon request. Updated March 2025)
    2. RSV primer fact sheet 446 KB PDF

      A fact sheet summarizing the content included in the RSV primer presentation. (Updated March 2025)
    3. Module: Clinical presentation of RSV disease in young children 820.4 KB PPTX

      A clinical overview of RSV disease, how it impacts the respiratory system, symptoms, what severe disease looks like, and how RSV disease is currently managed, including diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. (Updated October 2023)
    4. Module: Global and regional RSV disease burden 10 MB PPTX

      A summary of RSV’s disease burden among infants and young children, including global RSV mortality and morbidity estimates as well as regional estimates of RSV disease by age distribution, mortality, and morbidity. (Updated October 2024)
    5. Module: New RSV prevention products 7.2 MB PPTX

      A reflection on the RSV vaccine development story and a deeper look at current globally recommended products designed to protect infants from RSV disease, including maternal vaccine and long-acting monoclonal antibodies. (Updated March 2025)
    6. Module: The economics of RSV prevention 4 MB PPTX

      A detailed summary of cost, health impact, and cost-effectiveness considerations for RSV maternal vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. (Updated March 2025)
    7. Module: RSV immunization approaches for protecting infants 2.8 MB PPTX

      A look at how maternal immunization and monoclonal antibodies given soon after birth work, and why they are flagship approaches for preventing RSV disease in infants. (Updated March 2025)
    8. Module: RSV immunization pipeline to global policy 6 MB PPTX

      A discussion of policy issues on the pathway to RSV prevention for infants and young children in low- and middle-income markets, including vaccine introduction timeline drivers; global policy and WHO prequalification processes; immunization financing; and country policy-making. (Updated March 2025)
    9. Module: RSV prevention product implementation 1.8 MB PPTX

      A highlight of factors relevant to the implementation of new RSV immunization products and adaptations that may be needed to introduce and scale in low- and middle-income country contexts. (Updated March 2025)
    10. Module: RSV surveillance in infants and young children 1.4 MB PPTX

      A discussion of key surveillance concepts as they pertain to RSV and informing public health action, including sentinel surveillance’s role as a key option for low- and middle-income countries to track RSV disease activity, as well as additional surveillance options. (Updated October 2024)
    11. Module: RSV prevention in older adults 6.2 MB PPTX

      An overview of the current state of RSV prevention in older adults, including information on clinical presentation, disease burden, licensed vaccines, and considerations on the pathway to broader markets. (Updated February 2025)

  2. French

    1. Au seuil de la prévention des infections à virus respiratoire syncytial: une présentation préliminaire 8.1 MB PPTX

      Diapositives de présentation PowerPoint et notes du conférencier fournissant un aperçu général de la maladie à VRS, de son fardeau, des nouveaux outils de prévention et des considérations en matière de mise en œuvre. (Disponible ici en lecture seule. Fichier modifiable disponible sur demande. Mise à jour en mars 2025)

  3. Spanish

    1. En el umbral de la prevención de la enfermedad causada por el VSR: una presentación preliminario 8.1 MB PPTX

      Diapositivas de presentación en PowerPoint y notas del orador que brindan una descripción general de alto nivel de la enfermedad por VSR, su carga, nuevas herramientas de prevención y consideraciones de administración. (Disponible aquí como de solo lectura. Archivo editable disponible a pedido. Actualizado en el marzo de 2025).

  4. English

    1. WHO RSV Roadshow Web Event Series

      This monthly web series hosted by WHO in 2024/2025 in collaboration with PATH and the ReSViNET Foundation shared information from the WHO RSV communications toolkit and featured experts from around the world, who shared perspectives on the public health opportunity and urgency of RSV prevention. Recordings of each of seven web events are available for viewing.