We tested pre-pandemic (2015-2019) plasma samples from 148 Vietnamese children, and 100 Vietnamese adults at high risk of zoonotic infections, for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and spike proteins. None was positive. The data thus demonstrated that there was no evidence of prior serological cross-reactivity with SARS-CoV-2 that might explain the low numbers of COVID-19 in Vietnam. Future studies should look at pre-existing B cell and T cell memory in pre-pandemic samples in Vietnam, which might further shed light on the pathogenesis of the infection.