Every year flu is different, so every year you need an updated vaccine. Usually, a flu vaccination reduces the risk by 60%.

There are numerous simple steps that can be taken to protect your own health and the health of others during the influenza season.

The 2015-2016 influenza season has come to an end in Europe, with almost all countries now reporting low influenza activity for a number of weeks. The season started in EU/EEA countries in week 52/2015, with the Netherlands reporting regional spread, while Sweden reported widespread activity. The season lasted for 22 weeks until week 20/2016, when the positivity rate dropped to 11%. The peak of the season - with the highest proportion of specimens tested positive (53%) - occurred in week 11/2016. 

Increased influenza activity started in week 51/2014 this season when the percentage of influenza positive laboratory tests crossed the 10% threshold. The season lasted for 21 weeks until week 19/2015, when the positivity rate dropped below 10%. The peak of the season - with the highest proportion of specimens tested positive (55%) - occurred in week 07/2015. The peak varied between countries, occurring in week 04/2015 in Bulgaria and Portugal, and between weeks 05/2015 and 08/2015 in most central European countries.

Active circulation of influenza has started late in Europe in the 2013-2014 season, with a different timing across EU/EEA countries, states the annual ECDC risk assessment on seasonal influenza. The first countries affected have been Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal and Spain, where the A(H1)pdm09 influenza virus has dominated. Without any specific geographic pattern, influenza activity has since spread rapidly across Europe. In Bulgaria, Portugal and Spain, the season peaked in weeks 4 and 5/2014, while influenza activity still continues to increase in Greece. 

The 2012–2013 influenza season was of a slightly longer duration than the 2011–2012 season, starting around week 48/2012, peaking around week 5/2013 and lasting until week 16/2013.

The Vaccine Scheduler is an interactive tool that shows vaccination schedules for individual EU/EEA countries and specific age groups. With this tool comparisons can be made for vaccination schedules between two countries or by disease for all or a selection of countries.

The poster presents basic facts on influenza and key preventive messages aimed at healthcare professionals. The poster is a part of the ECDC "Communication guidelines on how to increase influenza vaccination uptake and promote preventive measures to limit its spread".

The poster provide key information on the importance of influenza vaccination. It is intended for display in venues that provide a link to the local community or where citizens may seek health advice such as healthcare facilities, doctors’ waiting rooms, pharmacies, community centres, libraries, etc. The poster is a part of the ECDC "Communication guidelines on how to increase influenza vaccination uptake and promote preventive measures to limit its spread".

Number of hospitalised laboratory-confirmed influenza cases by season, country, and level of care; eight EU countries, 2014–2015