1. Home
  2. Infectious disease topics
  3. A–Z disease list
  4. Seasonal influenza
  5. Prevention and control
  6. Seasonal influenza vaccines

Seasonal influenza vaccines

Seasonal influenza is a vaccine-preventable disease and annual influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza. ECDC continues to emphasise that all Europeans who are recommended to have the influenza vaccine should get vaccinated.  Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications: Individuals with specific chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, and children aged 6-59 months, the elderly and healthcare workers.

During the annual influenza epidemic season (weeks 40-20 in the subsequent year) ECDC and the WHO Regional Office for Europe jointly report on the influenza situation in the wider European Region which covers the 53 countries of the WHO European Region (including the EU/EEA Member States). The reports are published weekly on the website Flu News Europe and provide key data and analysis on a variety of issues including influenza intensity, circulating virus types/subtypes, and virus characteristics (vaccine effectiveness, pathogenicity, and susceptibility to antiviral treatments). During the inter-season period data are analysed and published on a monthly basis.

 

Seasonal influenza vaccination strategies

There are several possible immunisation strategies for seasonal influenza.

Risk groups for severe influenza

The risk groups includes people who are more likely than others to develop severe disease if they should be infected, such as the elderly, pregnant women, young children and people with underlying health conditions.

Types of seasonal influenza vaccine

Injected trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines are most commonly used throughout the world. Influenza antigen preparation varies between manufacturers.

Immunity following influenza disease and administration of influenza vaccines

Information on natural immunity and immunity after vaccination, and the evaluation of immune response after vaccination in the EU.

Timing of influenza vaccination

It takes 10 to 14 days following vaccination, before an immune response and protection develops. Therefore, most countries start immunisation in the early autumn.

Influenza vaccine safety

Risks of an adverse event following influenza vaccination are far less common than complications related to influenza itself, and the adverse events are generally localised and mild.

EU resources on influenza vaccination