There are general objectives for integrated surveillance of respiratory viruses in the European Union. These objectives apply to surveillance of influenza, COVID-19, and other respiratory virus infections.
Compared with the 2021‑2022 influenza season, for sentinel surveillance the number of tested specimens has
doubled, with a 4‑fold increase in influenza detections.
As autumn moves to winter, the WHO/Europe, EC and ECDC are issuing a clear, urgent message: people who remain unprotected against both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza – especially the most vulnerable and at-risk – should take up any offer for vaccination to prevent or mitigate the impact of these co-circulating respiratory infections.
This document presents the core protocol for ECDC studies of CVE and IVE against symptomatic laboratory-confirmed influenza or SARS-CoV-2 infection, respectively, at primary care level.