On October 23 in Ho Chi Minh City, Pfizer Vietnam together with Vietnam Respiratory Society, held scientific symposium titled “The Pioneering Mission of Protective Loops”. The symposia brought together more than 500 HCPs to update the latest data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), discuss disease burden, prevention strategies, and foster cross-sector collaboration to complete the “protection loop” for two of the most vulnerable groups within families: infants and older adults.

RSV – An intergenerational challenge and the need for a “protection loop"

RSV is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections, affecting an estimated 64 million people and causing 160,000 deaths globally each year.¹ Notably, approximately 75% of RSV-related hospitalizations occur in healthy, full-term infants, indicating that no group of young children is entirely protected against the virus.² At the other end of “loop”, adults aged 60 years and older face a heightened risk of severe disease and ICU admission, especially those with underlying COPD/cardiovascular conditions.³ Protecting infants today lays the foundation for healthier older generations in the future, while protecting the elderly helps reduce transmission risks for children within the family.

First Link: Infants – Building Protection from the Very Beginning

Infants under 6 months are particularly vulnerable, accounting for nearly 50% of the 3.6 million RSV-related hospitalizations⁴ and approximately 45,700 deaths among children aged 0–6 months worldwide. ⁵

During this period of immune immaturity, maternal antibodies⁶ act as the first line of defense against dangerous diseases. RSV complications in infants can include severe bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and respiratory failure. Symptoms often escalate rapidly, presenting fast breathing, wheezing, and bluish skin⁷ requiring hospitalization and, in many cases, intensive care. Beyond the acute phase, early-life RSV infection has been associated with long-term respiratory sequelae, including asthma, recurrent wheezing, and reduced lung function, impacting physical development and future health quality⁴. Building early protection for infants marks the starting point of the protective loop.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Society of Reproductive Medicine (HOSREM), Vice President of Vietnam Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology (VAGO), shared: “This threat is particularly concerning given that there is currently no specific treatment for RSV,⁴ and post-infection immunity is short-lived due to the virus’s ability to suppress immune responses, leading to recurrent infections.⁸ Protecting children from the earliest months of life is essential. Since newborns’ immune systems are still immature, much of their protection against infectious diseases comes from maternal antibodies acquired during pregnancy.⁶ Comprehensive maternal and neonatal care,  including health monitoring, respiratory care, hygiene, and adherence to medical guidance, not only reduces the risk of severe complications or death but also lays the foundation for long-term respiratory health.”

Second Link: Older Adults – Strengthening the Shield to Close the Protection Loop
Among adults aged 60 years and older, RSV often begins with mild symptoms but carries a significant risk of severe progression. At the symposia, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Khac Bao, Deputy Director of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, noted: “In older adults, RSV can trigger or exacerbate underlying conditions such as asthma and COPD⁹, as well as cardiovascular events including arrhythmias, heart failure, ischemia, and increased stroke risk.¹⁰ International data estimate that 1 out of 10 older adults infected with RSV requires ICU admission,³ with higher rates of severe outcomes among those with chronic comorbidities.”

The long-term consequences of RSV in older adults are also significant. A study of hospitalized patients aged 60 and above found that RSV can impair their ability to perform daily activities. After hospitalization, 1 in 3 experienced increased difficulty with essential tasks such as dressing, going to the bathroom, and other basic self-care activities.¹¹ Long-term sequelae also include reduced respiratory function and hospital readmission. ¹²
With Vietnam’s rapidly aging population¹³, RSV has become an urgent public health issue, calling for increased awareness and effective preventive strategies.

Collaborative Action – From Families to Communities

Experts agreed that to run the protection loop, multi-layered prevention strategies must be implemented, including personal hygiene such as handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, surface disinfection, proactive medical care, and community awareness.¹⁴ The symposia also presented the latest advances in maternal immunization science and successful global prevention models, fostering collaboration among regulators, healthcare institutions, academia, the private sector, and the media to sustainably protect these high-risk groups.

According to Dr. Mark Fletcher, Senior Director, Pfizer Vaccines Research & Development Medical Affairs: “Preventing RSV disease should not be limited to infants. By proactively associating RSV prevention in older adults with consistent hygiene practices, communities can create a synergistic prevention loop, considerably limiting the number of severe cases and consequent hospitalization rates. In infants and older adults, appropriate preventive measures against RSV infection also can help reduce the strain on healthcare systems.”15

Reference:
1. MDPI (2025) 'Addressing the Underestimated Burden of RSV in Older Adults in Europe: Epidemiology, Surveillance Gaps, and Public Health Implications', Vaccines, 13(5), p. 510. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/13/5/510#B7-vaccines-13-00510 (: 7 October 2025).
2. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS). (2025). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): Frequently asked questions (FAQs). Accesses 09/06/2025. Available at: https://ncirs.org.au/ncirs-fact-sheets-faqs-and-other-resources/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-frequently-asked
3. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2025). Burden of disease of respiratory syncytial virus in older adults and adults considered at high risk of severe infection. Truy cập từ https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v51i01a04
4. World Health Organization (WHO) (2025) 'Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)', Fact sheets. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/respiratory-syncytial-virus-(rsv) (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
5. Li Y, Wang X, Blau DM, et al RESCEU investigators (2022). Global, regional, and national disease burden estimates of acute lower respiratory infections due to respiratory syncytial virus in children younger than 5 years in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet (London, England), 399(10340), 2047–2064. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00478-0
6. Basha, S., Surendran, N., & Pichichero, M. (2014). Immune responses in neonates. Expert review of clinical immunology, 10(9), 1171–1184. https://doi.org/10.1586/1744666X.2014.942288
7. WHO (n.d.) 'Respiratory syncytial virus', Health topics. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/respiratory-syncytial-virus#tab=tab_1 (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
8. Green Book (2025) 'Chapter 27a: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)', Immunisation Against Infectious Disease. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-book-chapter-27a-respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
9. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2025) 'RSV in Adults', CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/adults/index.html (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
10. American Heart Association (2025) 'RSV and Heart Health', Health Topics. Available at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/rsv (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
11. KnowPneumonia.sg (2025) 'Older Adults and Pneumonia', KnowPneumonia.sg. Available at: https://www.knowpneumonia.sg/older-adults (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
12. Springer Nature (2024) 'RSV and Pneumonia: A Review', Journal of Clinical Immunology, 42(3), pp. 123–135. Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40121-024-00974-7 (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
13. Oxford University Press (2023) 'RSV in Adults', Journal of Infectious Diseases, 230(2), pp. 467–475. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/230/2/467/7492090 (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
14. Government of Canada (2025) 'Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Prevention and Risks', Public Health Agency of Canada. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv/prevention-risks.html (Accessed: 7 October 2025).
15. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2025) 'RSV Vaccine Clinical Guidance for Adults', CDC. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/hcp/vaccine-clinical-guidance/adults.html (Accessed: 7 October 2025). transmission in the community. Therefore, timely and complete vaccination based on scientific recommendations is one of the most effective solutions to protect both individuals and communities from this serious disease 7,8.”
 

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The information contained in this release is as of October 23, 2025. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

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