PL/pgSQL: SELECT INTO variables - no result

I go through a series of SELECT INTO in a trigger function.

SELECT INTO country_id id
FROM vcountry WHERE [...];

I might or o might not find a result.

Next, I try to find a region within this country, if found previously,
and if not anywhere.

SELECT INTO
country_id, region_id
country_fk, id
FROM vregion
WHERE (country_id IS NULL OR country_fk = country_id) AND name ILIKE
place;

If the first search found a country, and the second search fails to
find the region, the second search will set my variables to NULL. So, a
previously populated country_id will now be NULL.

Is there any way I can avoid this or do I have to use different sets of
variables?

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Best Regards,
Tarlika Elisabeth Schmitz