In Vietnam, elderly need specialized flu prevention solutions to reduce risk of severe complications

In elderly people, the flu can quickly progress to pneumonia, respiratory failure, or worsen existing chronic underlying conditions. In fact, hospitals have recently recorded many cases of the elderly requiring hospitalization and falling into critical condition owing to serious flu-related complications. This further underscores the urgent need for more effective and appropriate intervention strategies to protect the elderly.

This was the central topic discussed at a series of seminars on the burden of flu, flu complications in elderly people (aged 60 and above), and specialized preventive solutions for elders, attracting the participation of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals. The events were organized by the Tam Anh Research Institute with sponsorship from Sanofi-Aventis Vietnam Co., Ltd.

Elderly are more susceptible to severe flu complications 

According to experts, in people aged 60 and above, immune aging causes the body to respond less effectively to disease-causing agents. This condition, combined with underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increases the risk of severe flu progression, hospitalization, and serious complications.

A typical example can be seen during recent surges in influenza A cases. At tertiary healthcare facilities such as the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Hanoi, many patients rapidly developed severe respiratory failure, secondary pneumonia infections, heart failure, kidney failure, or exacerbations of underlying conditions, requiring mechanical ventilation and prolonged intensive care. 

Faced with these challenges, experts believe that annual flu vaccination remains the most important foundation of the flu prevention strategy for the general population. For many years, standard-dose flu vaccines have made a major contribution to expanding access to vaccination, protecting millions of people against the flu. In addition to maintaining annual flu vaccination, elderly people need access to specialized protection solutions to optimize preventive effectiveness.

Further analyzing this issue, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Thai, deputy head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in Hanoi, said that flu vaccination rates among the elderly in Vietnam remain low, while the flu circulates year-round and can easily worsen underlying conditions.

"Therefore, elderly should first maintain annual flu vaccination. Alongside standard-dose flu vaccines, high-dose flu vaccines — a specialized solution for elderly people — are an enhanced protection option, as evidence has shown additional benefits in reducing the risk of illness or certain complications in the elderly. Vaccine selection should be based on professional recommendations, indications, and each individual's access to vaccination," Assoc. Prof. Thai said.

Shifting the goal: From disease prevention to reducing severe complications 

Based on clinical data accumulated over many years, experts assess that enhanced immune protection solutions, particularly specialized flu vaccines for elderly people, are opening up a new approach to meeting expectations for comprehensive protection for people aged 60 and above. This is also a trend being adopted by many developed countries and included in clinical practice recommendations by international professional associations.

Emphasizing this shift, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Quang Binh, professional director of Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said, "We are shifting from the simple goal of preventing the flu to the goal of reducing the burden of disease and preventing the severe consequences caused by the flu in the elderly."

Vietnam is entering a period of rapid population aging, with approximately 16.5 million people aged 60 and above, accounting for 16 percent of the population. The average life expectancy is 74.7 years, but people spend their final decade of life experiencing illness, declining health, and needing assistance.

As Vietnam's population rapidly ages, protecting the elderly against the flu should be considered a priority in preventive healthcare. The emergence of options such as specialized flu vaccines for elderly not only expands the preventive tools available to healthcare professionals but also marks a new advancement in the strategy to protect elderly people against the flu, aiming to reduce hospitalizations and serious complications and improve the quality of life for this high-risk population group.