A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has brought scientists a step closer to developing a vaccine to protect children against the life-threatening respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The study involved over 7,000 pregnant women from 18 countries who were given the RSVpreF vaccine during pregnancy, and it found that babies born to vaccinated mothers were more than 80% less likely to contract the virus. The trial, known as the Maternal Immunization Study for Safety and Efficacy (MATISSE), was conducted in collaboration with South African scientists who played a crucial role.