None of the European Union (EU) Member States could demonstrate that they reach the EU target of 75% influenza vaccination coverage for vulnerable groups, according to a new report from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Based on a systematic literature review, ECDC assessed the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of newer and enhanced inactivated seasonal influenza (flu) vaccines among those 18 years or older. These assessed are MF59® adjuvanted, cell-based, high-dose, and recombinant haemagglutinin influenza vaccines.

On 22 December ECDC released the technical report titled ‘COVID-19 vaccination and prioritisation strategies in the EU/EEA’, following the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommendation for authorisation of the vaccine Comirnaty, developed by BioNTech and Pfizer.

Following the conditional marketing authorisation and deployment of the first COVID-19 vaccines in the EU/EEA, all countries have started vaccination campaigns by vaccinating people in priority groups. To monitor the progress of vaccination efforts across the EU/EEA, ECDC has set up a monitoring system for collection of key vaccine rollout indicators.

Vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 disease are well under way in all EU/EEA countries, and more detailed information is now available on the ECDC website.

In the Technical Report Risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from newly infected individuals with documented previous infection or vaccination, published today, ECDC examines the evidence on the extent previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination prevents onward transmission from infected individuals to susceptible contacts.