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This report summarises the results from two epidemiological studies conducted by the Vaccine Adverse Event Surveillance and Communication (VAESCO) Consortium undertaken in eight European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) countries in order to investigate a possible association between an unexpected increase in narcolepsy cases following the use of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccines. Narcolepsy is an underdiagnosed disease of widely unknown etiology.

This report summarises the results from two epidemiological studies to investigate a possible association between an unexpected increase in narcolepsy cases following the use of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccines. The studies were conducted by the Vaccine Adverse Event Surveillance and Communication (VAESCO) Consortium under the auspices of ECDC and undertaken in Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. This Technical Report In Brief accompanies the full Report ‘Narcolepsy in association with pandemic influenza vaccination- A multi-country European epidemiological investigation’.

Vaccination recommendations and coverage rates in the EU Member States for eight influenza seasons: 2007–2008 to 2014–2015.

In support of the EU Council Recommendation of December 2009 on seasonal influenza vaccination, this technical report provides data on vaccination policies and strategies, vaccination coverage data, and data on barriers to vaccination for seasonal influenza in the EU/EEA countries.

Overview of vaccine recommendations for 2017–2018 and vaccination coverage rates for 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 influenza seasons.

Annual influenza vaccination of risk groups has been common practice in Europe and elsewhere for many years. Routine influenza immunisation of healthy children has been recommended in some countries, to reduce morbidity among children with the potential additional benefit of reducing the spread of disease and thus indirectly protect adults at high risk of severe influenza.

Overall the evidence base for the efficacy and effectiveness of newer and enhanced influenza vaccines appears limited at present, with a number of potentially relevant studies identified as ongoing.

This report provides an update on seasonal influenza immunisation policies and vaccination coverage rates in EU/EEA Member States for the 2012–13 influenza season.

Overview of vaccination recommendations and coverage rates in the EU Member States for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 influenza seasons.