Health Canada has approved the first vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for adults aged 60 and older.

Doctors have called for the RSV vaccine for seniors because, despite the widespread nature of the virus, older adults are more likely to suffer serious illnesses that require hospitalization.

The RSV season in Canada typically starts in late fall and continues into spring.

In a press release issued this Friday, the manufacturer GSK stated that a randomized clinical trial showed that the vaccine named Arexvy is 82 percent effective in preventing respiratory diseases caused by RSV compared to older adults who received a placebo.

The company said it was 94 percent effective in preventing the disease in older adults with underlying medical conditions.

For most people, including children, respiratory syncytial virus usually causes mild infections that resolve within two weeks, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

In addition to older adults, children are also at higher risk of getting sick. There is no vaccine for RSV for children, but there are two types of antibody injections that can be given to at-risk children to help prevent severe illness.

A new monoclonal antibody drug - nirsevimab, also known by the brand name Beyfortus - was approved by Health Canada in April, as Nirsevimab requires only a single injection to protect children throughout the RSV season.

On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommended that children born before or during the RSV season, as well as children under eight months old before the season starts, should receive a dose of nirsevimab.