Flu cases are on a sharp rise in many countries in Asia. The intensified rainy season is fueling transmission and creating ideal conditions for rapid spread. In a single week, Thailand recorded more than 30,000 new cases. Meanwhile, Japan declared a nationwide flu epidemic on 3 October after confirming more than 6,000 patients that week. The Philippines has also surpassed epidemic thresholds, with a 10 percent increase in private hospital admissions. In response, all public schools in Metro Manila suspended face-to-face classes on 13-14 October. Similar upward trends have also appeared in Taiwan and Singapore, indicating a broader regional surge.
Health professionals cautioned that older adults are the most susceptible to severe flu complications including pneumonia and heart attacks, hospitalization, and even death. This concern is growing in Southeast Asia as the population in the region is aging rapidly. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the proportion of people aged over 60 in the region will nearly double, from 12.2 percent in 2024 to 22.9 percent by 2050. Even though there is a rising need for protection against flu, the influenza vaccination coverage especially among the elderly remains low, leaving millions at higher risk of severe illness each flu season.
Spotting the gap between the need and vaccination coverage, Sanofi, a leading pharmaceutical company in the world, in collaboration with the Vietnam National Institute for Control of Vaccines and Biologicals (NICVB) and the Malaysian Society of Infection Control and Infectious Diseases (MyICID), organized a regional webinar titled “Shielding Golden Years: The Power of Flu Vaccines for Older Adults.” The event, held in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam, on 5 November 2025, gathered leading experts and engaged nearly 700 healthcare professionals across Southeast Asia.
Among the participants in the regional Webinar, Dr. Steven C.L. Lim, MD, MRCP, the President of the MyICID, emphasized that older adults are the most vulnerable to severe outcomes from influenza due to aging immune response, frailty, and comorbidities. He said, “The flu virus infection exacerbates underlying chronic medical conditions, leading to an increased risk for hospitalization and death. Influenza vaccination should be part of standard care for the elderly, especially those with chronic diseases.”
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Though vaccines are crucial against the flu, their use is low. Indicating gaps between prevalence and vaccination, Associate Professor Pham Quang Thai, MD, MPhil, PhD, the Head of the Expanded Immunization Office for the Northern Region of Vietnam, said, “Among older adults in Vietnam, annual influenza hospitalizations are 154 percent higher, and mortality rates are 700 percent higher than those in the 50 to 64 age group. However, vaccination coverage among adults aged 65 and above remains low at just 5.55 percent, far below the WHO target of 75 percent.”
Indicating the role of pharmaceutical companies especially Sanofi in accessibility to flu vaccines, Dr. Ruby Dizon, the Head of Medical for Sanofi Vaccines Southeast Asia and India, participated in the webinar, said, “…Sanofi’s commitment is to deliver protection beyond flu. We ensure people have access to vaccines with proven better protection against influenza infection and its severe complications. By raising the bar in influenza prevention, we are striving to set new standards in public health…”
Highlighting the effectiveness of flu vaccines for the elderly against severe conditions, Professor Sasisopin Kiertiburanakul, MD, MHS, the Vice President of the Infectious Disease Association of Thailand (IDAT), said, “The priority is ensuring that older adults choose the right vaccines available to prevent serious flu-related outcomes.” She also called for stronger awareness and regional collaboration to improve vaccine access and better protect Southeast Asia’s aging population.
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