Elderly people, people with underlying diseases face high risk from RSV
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is not only a pathogen in young children but also a significant threat to the elderly and people with underlying diseases. Experts warn that strengthening proactive prevention for high-risk groups is becoming an urgent requirement in the context of the increasing burden of infectious diseases.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thu Phuong, Director of the Respiratory Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said: Elderly people and adults with weakened immune systems will face a higher risk of severe progression when contracting RSV. In particular, elderly people with common diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure have also been recorded to have more severe clinical outcomes when contracting this virus.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thuong Vu, Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine, University Medical Center Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Respiratory Association: Not only is it likely to cause severe lower respiratory diseases leading to hospitalization in general, RSV infection can also cause many serious prolonged complications in people with risk factors, such as people with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases. For elderly people with COPD, chronic bronchitis and pneumothorax, up to 80.4% of patients have acute episodes during hospitalization due to RSV infection.
In fact, according to experts, the burden of RSV on the elderly is being underestimated due to many reasons. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duong Thi Hong, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, affirmed: The lack of information about preventive measures and insufficient awareness of the burden as well as the severity of the disease caused by RSV makes many people not proactively protect themselves. Promoting prevention, including vaccination for adults, especially those with underlying diseases, is extremely necessary to reduce the risk of infection, while contributing to reducing the burden on the health system and improving the quality of life.
Promoting proactive prevention in the elderly
Experts believe that proactive prevention should be placed on par with treatment in the comprehensive health care model for the elderly. In which, vaccination is one of the important solutions to reduce the risk of disease, limit complications and contribute to reducing the burden on the health system. Currently, some international and domestic professional guidelines have recommended RSV vaccination for people aged 60 and over, especially those with underlying diseases.
To effectively implement prevention, the role of the treating doctor is very important. Dr. Nguyen Quoc Thai, Deputy Director of the Institute of Cardiology, Bach Mai Hospital, shared: Active prevention must be placed on par with treatment - a mandatory piece in the comprehensive health care model. In which, the treating doctor plays a key role in advising, raising awareness and strengthening trust in the benefits of vaccination for patients, helping to better protect vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and people with background diseases from infectious diseases.
Dr. Pham Thi My Lien - Chairwoman of GSK Vietnam - said that GSK is promoting advanced scientific solutions to protect the elderly from infectious diseases, including RSV. At the same time, businesses coordinate with specialized associations to support medical staff to improve the effectiveness of care and prevention for high-risk groups in Vietnam.
