ILC has joined a number of other European organisations calling for increased efforts at an EU-level to protect healthcare professionals from influenza this winter. As part of this year’s EU Flu Day, held on 14 October, the Steering Group on Influenza Vaccination called on the European Commission to:

• Support information campaigns in local languages to spread awareness about the upcoming influenza season among target groups
• Encourage EU Member States and regions to ensure the involvement of HCPs in all stages and levels of vaccination programmes, which will also help create advocates to promote influenza vaccination uptake
• Facilitate best-practice sharing between national, regional and local authorities
• Call on ECDC to develop an influenza vaccination tracker system to monitor vaccination uptake in the eligible population and support national public health measures to reach recommended targets

Signatories from the Steering Group include:

• Prof. Susanna Esposito, President, World Association for Infectious Diseases
• Emilie Karafillakis, European Research Lead, Vaccine Confidence Project
• Prof. Sally Kendall, Chair, European Forum for Primary Care
• Ber Oomen, Executive Director, European Specialist Nurses Organisation (ESNO)
• Prof. Ab Osterhaus, Chair, European Scientific Working group on Influenza (ESWI)
• Sibilia Quilici, Executive Director, Vaccines Europe
• David Sinclair, Director, International Longevity Centre UK (ILC)
• Prof. Thomas Szucs, Professor of Pharmaceutical Medicine and Specialist in Prevention and Public Health; Co-Chair of the Steering Group on Influenza Vaccination
• Dr. Julia Tainijoki, Medical and Advocacy Advisor, World Medical Association (WMA)
• Mariano Votta, Director, Active Citizenship Network (ACN)

You can read the full letter here.