In the occasion of the EU Flu Day 2021, the Steering Group on Influenza Vaccination, of which Active Citizenship is a part of, has realized a Joint Statement on the importance of healthcare professionals’ (HCP) vaccination with the aim to highlight the importance of strengthened efforts at the EU level to ensure healthcare professionals across Europe are protected in the very unpredictable influenza season ahead. Increasing coverage rates among HCPs will not only benefit individuals, but also wider society, by shielding vulnerable populations and helping to ease pressure on already overstretched healthcare systems.

The Joint Statement has 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 the 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. Click here to read the document.