The 2011 seasonal influenza immunisation campaigns have started across Europe. As in previous years ECDC is marking the start of the 2011-12 surveillance season in Week 40 with the publication of regular weekly updates of the main epidemiological and virological developments in the Weekly Influenza Surveillance Overview (WISO).
On 3 October 2011 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and representatives of the European Vaccine Manufacturers met at ECDC in Stockholm for a regular scheduled meeting about the use of vaccines for prevention of seasonal and pandemic influenza. ECDC Director Marc Sprenger opened the meeting and ECDC influenza experts held different presentations, such as burden of influenza disease in the EU, risk groups for severe influenza disease, personal protective measures, pandemic influenza preparedness, seasonal influenza vaccines, communication.
The Declarations of Interest for ECDC Influenza Staff and the ECDC Director are available here under ECDC Transparency.
Two official evaluations have been made by the national Ministry of Health of Spain of their country’s response to the 2009 influenza pandemic. The reviews focused on two particular topics - Surveillance and Vaccines and Antivirals.
On the occasion of the European Respiratory Society’s (ERS) Annual Congress in Amsterdam, ECDC and ERS today introduce a draft of the EU Standards for Tuberculosis Care (ESTC).
The ERS Annual Congress brings together the world's respiratory experts and professionals to meet, exchange views and share knowledge covering all aspects of respiratory medicine, novelties and most recent data presentations.
The WHO Regional Committee for Europe approved a new action plan to tackle multi-drug resistant and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) today. This is another milestone in the European efforts to secure strong tuberculosis prevention and control across the region.
The second ECDC advisory group meeting will discuss progress and future challenges in reporting and monitoring following the commitment outlined in the Dublin Declaration.