The single-stranded respiratory viral vaccine (RSV) was brought to Vietnam by the VNVC Vaccination System in collaboration with Sanofi Pharmaceutical Group (France) to deploy to infants and children aged 24 months to 15 months at the VNVC vaccination center system, according to professional instructions issued on December 22 by the Department of Prevention and Control (Ministry of Health).
Thus, after only 2 months of single-line antibodies being launched in Vietnam, VNVC has become a pioneering vaccination center system to implement this important biological product vaccination, helping children promptly prevent diseases before the peak of the disease season, as well as reduce treatment and hospitalization costs caused by RSV.
On the first day of implementing the RSV single-vehicle vaccination, more than 250 VNVC centers recorded many families interested in learning and getting their children vaccinated. Taking her daughter over 6 months old to VNVC Truong Chinh (Hanoi) for vaccination, Ms. Thuy Quynh (31 years old, Tuong Mai ward) said that when she was only 2 months old, she had bronchial tieuitis and had to be hospitalized for treatment.
"I just realized the feeling of just hoping that my child would not be sick anymore. Hanoi is winter, the cold weather and air pollution make children and adults susceptible to respiratory diseases. RSV not only causes coughs and common fever but also causes pneumonia, early disease prevention for the baby helps my family feel much more secure," Ms. Quynh shared.
Dr. CKI Bach Thi Chinh, Medical Director, VNVC Vaccination System, said that RSV single antibodies are produced using recombined biotechnology, providing specific antibodies directly, helping children to be protected immediately after vaccination without having to wait for the body to create immunity like vaccines.
According to internationally published documents, RSV single antibodies help reduce the risk of hospitalization and intensive treatment by RSV by more than 82%, with a protective effect of at least 5-6 months. In particular, antibodies can be injected immediately after birth, suitable for all infants, including premature, low birth weight or children with underlying diseases.
Children under 12 months old only need 1 dose, children over 12-24 months old are at high risk of RSV, and can also use it. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor based on the time of vaccination, weight and assessment of risk factors in children, Dr. Chinh added.
RSV is the leading cause of bronchitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia in young children and the elderly. The World Health Organization (WHO) statistics that each year, more than 3.6 million children are hospitalized for RSV and more than 100,000 children die, with nearly 50% of children under 6 months old. The disease is distributed all year round in Vietnam and often increases sharply during the changing seasons and rain, cold, and air pollution at the end of the year.
Dr. Cam Ngoc Phuong, Director of the Neonatal Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the RSV virus is easily spread through the respiratory tract like a common cold virus. The virus can last up to 6 hours on surfaces, toys, keyboards and door handles and 25 minutes on surfaces with skin contaminated with hand-olds.
Children with RSV disease, if not detected and treated promptly, can lead to acute respiratory failure, lung stenosis, bacterial infection, excretion of the lung lining, dehydration, arrhythmia, respiratory arrest and death. Not to mention, the disease can leave long-term sequelae such as fibromyalgia, impaired respiratory function, hospitalization or chronic bronchial asthma.
Dr. Phuong assessed the expansion of the implementation of single-flow antibodies in the VNVC vaccination system as a suitable direction, helping parents proactively prevent diseases early for their children, especially at high risk of infection and severe complications caused by RSV. This not only reduces the rate of hospitalizations and the pressure on treatment facilities during peak season, but also helps families save costs, care time and limit the risk of long-term sequelae in children, Dr. Phuong emphasized.
Previously, since October 2025, VNVC has launched and jointly deployed RSV single antibodies at Tam Anh General Hospital System and Nutrihome Clinic - units in the same healthcare ecosystem and recorded the positive reception of doctors and many parents with young children. Hundreds of children have been safely vaccinated with single-trip antibodies, most of whom are newborns, some of whom are only a few days old and have been promptly prevented from the disease.
