October 2021
A new look
WHO / Sergey Volkov
Welcome to our new newsletter format!
Interesting and informative news from our trusted teams around the world delivered to your inbox. Enjoy and feel free to share; we value every subscriber.
© WHO / Tom Pietrasik
Flu is on the rise
Influenza is on the rise; how do I prevent it?
© WHO / Blink Media - Hannah Reyes Morales
COVID-19 and Influenza -similarities and differences
A recently updated Q&A provides the answers and stresses the importance of vaccination against both COVID-19 and influenza
Flickr/Alberta Newsroom (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Shots for success
WHO has issued recommendations on the composition of influenza vaccines for the next Southern hemisphere flu season in 2022.
© WHO / Egor Dubrovsky
Fundamentals first
The annual Bi Regional WPRO SEARO meeting of influenza surveillance and National Influenza Centres (NICs) calls for continuous and consistent flu monitoring, while integrating COVID-19 surveillance.
© WHO / Tom Pietrasik
Ready, set, PIP
Countries in South-East Asia have made substantial gains in pandemic influenza preparedness despite COVID-19 disruption. And they are ready for more in the year ahead.
© WHO/FluNet
FluNet becomes more interactive with SARS-CoV-2 data now included
If you like exploring interactive outputs on influenza detections, check out the visualizations that now have SARS-CoV-2 surveillance data included. You can follow the trends in SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity by WHO region over time according to data reported from countries who are testing routine respiratory surveillance samples for both influenza and SARS-CoV-2 following WHO guidance.
Unveiling the Influenza Vaccines Research and Development Roadmap
A new global effort to improve seasonal influenza vaccines and accelerate broadly protective or universal influenza vaccine development was launched on September 30, 2021. The Roadmap, which is the culmination of 2 years of engagement with more than 100 organizations in 29 countries, identifies strategic goals across six key areas.
© WHO
New GISRS and GISAID training series rolled out
The bioinformatics workshops aim to strengthen GISRS genomic surveillance and will improve virus sequencing and the effective use of GISAID tools. Stay tuned for more in the next newsletter.
Upcoming meetings
2nd global virtual consultation on the integrated sentinel surveillance of influenza and SARS-CoV-2
12 to 14 October 2021
To update interim guidance on integrated surveillance of influenza and SARS-CoV-2, incorporating the sequencing guidance on SARS-CoV-2 for GISRS, document country best practices, and finalize the GISRS Pandemic Response Plan and GISRS Plus roadmap.
10th virtual meeting of the WHO Working Group on Surveillance of Antiviral Susceptibility of Influenza Viruses for GISRS (AVWG)
2 to 4 November 2021
To review data on circulating influenza viruses resistance to approved antiviral drugs, improvements to surveillance, new antivirals and methods to detect viruses, and improvements to drug resistance testing.
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