Baby’s on Caribbean islands may need the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine earlier in the year than those in the Netherlands, according to new research.
The Radboudumc, in collaboration with Caribbean hospitals and laboratories, advises that the timing of the RSV vaccination should be adjusted for infants on islands like Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. This recommendation stems from findings that the virus peaks in the Caribbean during the rainy season, which runs from June to December, rather than the fall and winter months seen in Europe.
RSV is a common virus that causes respiratory infections. While it typically causes mild cold symptoms, it can lead to more severe illness in infants, sometimes requiring hospitalization. The findings could guide future vaccination strategies to better protect vulnerable populations.
Currently, babies in the Netherlands generally receive the RSV vaccine in September or October. However, researchers found that antibodies from a fall vaccination may diminish before the virus becomes prevalent in the Caribbean during its rainy season.
“Infections are seasonal. On a tropical island you don’t have autumn and winter, but a rainy and dry season,” said Lilly Verhagen, a pediatrician, infectious disease specialist, and immunologist at Radboudumc Amalia Children’s Hospital.
The Netherlands introduced the RSV vaccine in the fall of 2025, and it has already shown positive results, with a 75% reduction in RSV-related intensive care admissions for infants. The update underscores ongoing public health challenges and the need for tailored prevention measures.
The Dutch guidelines are often directly adopted in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, but the Radboudumc researchers determined that this approach isn’t ideal in this case. The RIVM, responsible for prevention guidelines on Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten, is now evaluating whether to adjust the vaccination schedule.
