Gripa este o boală virală foarte contagioasă, care se manifestă în special în sezonul rece şi poate pune probleme grave, deşi este deseori confundată cu o simplă răceală.
Vaccinarea antigripală joacă un rol major în protejarea împotriva acestei boli. Însă deşi vaccinurile sunt sigure şi eficiente, prea puţini europeni le folosesc.
Comisia încurajează statele membre să promoveze vaccinarea împotriva gripei sezoniere în rândul populaţiei care riscă să dezvolte complicaţii. În urma unei propuneri a Comisiei, miniştrii sănătăţii din ţările UE au adoptat, la 20 decembrie 2009, o recomandare privind vaccinarea împotriva gripei sezoniere. Aceasta îndeamnă statele membre să depună toate eforturile pentru ca 75% din populaţia care prezintă risc crescut de îmbolnăvire (bătrâni, personal sanitar etc.) să fie vaccinată până în 2015.
În caz de pandemie (în general, mai gravă decât gripa sezonieră), Comisia se oferă să ajute statele membre, în special în ceea ce priveşte strategiile de vaccinare. De exemplu, a publicat o serie de orientări cu privire la strategiile de vaccinare împotriva pandemiei de gripă H1N1, din 2009.
Iniţiative: Recomandarea Consiliului privind vaccinarea împotriva gripei sezoniere şi Documentul de lucru al serviciilor Comisiei cu privire la strategiile de combatere a pandemiei (H1N1) 2009 
Informaţii suplimentare privind vaccinarea antigripală:
ECDC has issued a report highlighting the importance of building trust for public health organisations in order for them to communicate effectively on immunisation.
The report investigates an increase in the incidence of narcolepsy in children and adolescents in 2009 and 2010.
During the influenza season citizens should adopt preventative measures recommended by their national authorities. These include personal hygiene measures and vaccination for those recommended. Vaccination is the single most effective way to prevent serious illness.
New funding to help immunize millions of people against preventable diseases will be pledged on Monday, 13 June, by EU Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs.
This study follows a request from the European Commission to the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control to provide scientific public health information and advice concerning risk groups for immunisation in Europe.
Parallel session on vaccination. Module 2 - Implementation of Vaccine Strategy
Parallel session on vaccination. Module 1 - Regulatory Procedure and Development of Vaccination Strategies
ECDC has issued a report highlighting the importance of building trust for public health organisations in order for them to communicate effectively on immunisation.
The report investigates an increase in the incidence of narcolepsy in children and adolescents in 2009 and 2010.
During the influenza season citizens should adopt preventative measures recommended by their national authorities. These include personal hygiene measures and vaccination for those recommended. Vaccination is the single most effective way to prevent serious illness.
New funding to help immunize millions of people against preventable diseases will be pledged on Monday, 13 June, by EU Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs.
This study follows a request from the European Commission to the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control to provide scientific public health information and advice concerning risk groups for immunisation in Europe.
The success of vaccination programmes has resulted in a significant decline of many infectious diseases across Europe over the years.
The journalist winner of the EU Health Prize for Journalism, first edition (2009 - Estelle Saget), wrote "Questions and Answers" about influenza and vaccination. Available in French only.
Preliminary information indicates that high-risk groups for severe or fatal illness identified during the pandemic remain at heightened risk, and that most of the fatal cases had not been vaccinated.
Europe is now approaching the first winter season after the 2009 pandemic influenza. What can we expect? Has anything changed with seasonal influenza? What can people do to protect themselves and others? To answer these questions, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control launched a theme site about seasonal influenza
Influenza is an infectious disease which, ever year, leads to many deaths and high costs within the European Union, in terms of healthcare and also in terms of economic impact. The European Commission considers that it is crucial to vaccinate ‘risk’ groups as a priority in order to limit losses.
The programme aims to support European Bodies and the Member States in the enactment of recent European Council Recommendations and Communications on seasonal influenza immunisation and pandemic preparedness.
For the first time 112 countries and territories are simultaneously launching immunization campaigns. WHO's goal is to expand immunization coverage and raise awareness of the importance of vaccines.
European Commission proposal for a recommendation to increase seasonal vaccination coverage in the EU Member States, in particular in risk groups.
Today, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council recommendation on seasonal flu vaccination. The proposed recommendation calls on EU countries to ensure that 75% of their elderly population and 75% of people with some specific underlying health problems are vaccinated every year against seasonal flu. This target should be achieved by 2015 at the latest. Vaccination coverage rates in older people vary considerably in Europe ranging from 2% in Lithuania to 80% in the Netherlands. Additional measures mentioned in the proposal include education and training for healthcare workers on seasonal influenza as well as information to those people targeted for vaccination and their families. Each country should report annually to the Commission on the progress they make with vaccination coverage until 2015 and then every 3 years.
