A mother from Bath has urged pregnant woman to take a vaccine which could prevent 5,000 infant hospitalisations a year, according to new research.

The UK Health Security Agency and Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation has highlighted the benefits expected from the new RSV vaccination programme set to launch in England this autumn.

As well as fewer hospitalisations, the programme could prevent 15,000 emergency department visits for infants, and see RSV illnesses in babies under 12 months fall by 70,000.

Other benefits include the possibility of 20,000 fewer GP consultations and more than 200 fewer infants being admitted to intensive care units, the research found.

Despite infecting nearly 90 per cent of children within their first two years, RSV is largely unknown among the public.

Although it typically causes symptoms similar to a mild cold, it can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia or infant bronchiolitis and is a leading cause of infant mortality globally.

Alice Cook from Bath, whose daughter, Henrietta, became seriously ill from the virus, is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated.

Henrietta became seriously ill from RSVHenrietta became seriously ill from RSV (Image: UKHSA)

She said: “At three weeks old, Henrietta caught a cold from her older sister, which gradually began to get worse.

"By day five, she was still struggling with a cough and a fever, and I noticed that she was working really hard to breathe.

“I decided to take her to A&E where she was quickly assessed.

"A blood gas reading was taken and within minutes she was being given high flow oxygen through tubes in her nose.

"She also had a tube passed into her tummy as she was too exhausted to feed.

“Thankfully the next day she stabilised, but it was a long four days ahead until she was well enough to come off oxygen and establish feeding again."

HenriettaHenrietta (Image: UKHSA)

She added: "Nine months on, Henrietta is now a happy and healthy baby, but those first few weeks of her life were incredibly tough, and not how I pictured the new-born bubble to be.

"I would encourage all pregnant women to take up the RSV vaccine when offered."

Along with expecting mothers, the RSV vaccine will be offered to those turning 75 years on or after September 1, along with a one-off campaign for those already aged 75-79.

Research suggests the older adult’s catch-up programme could prevent around 2,500 hospital admissions, 15,000 GP visits and 60,000 RSV illnesses in adults in this age group.