NHS England chief midwifery officer Kate Brintworth has urged eligible pregnant mothers to get the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to protect their baby ahead of this winter.
Pregnant women from 28 weeks onwards can access the RSV jab through their maternity services or via their local GP practice.
RSV is a leading cause of infant mortality around the world and a main cause of child hospitalisations every year.
During the last winter in England, almost 7,000 bed days were taken up by children with RSV and those aged below four years are more vulnerable.
The Australian winter is often a good predictor of how viruses will spread in England, and last year Australia had a record number of RSV cases.
Brintworth said, “Getting vaccinated while pregnant is the best way to protect your baby from the moment they are born, and now is the time for mums to act."
The RSV vaccine was offered to pregnant women in England for the first time last September and has now helped to protect more than 300,000 mothers and babies.
The NHS has delivered over two million RSV vaccinations to eligible people after the rollout.
Around 100 community pharmacies in the East of England and the Midlands are also now delivering the RSV vaccine, with NHS England planning to expand this offer to up to 150 additional pharmacies across the country.
Vaccinations to protect against flu and whooping cough are also recommended to women during pregnancy to further protect the mother and baby.
Many of the additional community pharmacy sites will also be offering the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine to eligible pregnant women, helping to improve uptake and free up GP appointments each year.
The RSV vaccine is also effective for older adults aged 75 to 79 years, and NHS England will reach out to them soon.
