The Swedish Presidency of EU said on July 6 that all its member states will continue to develop a common strategy for influenza that can be decided on by the health ministers in the autumn.
"The EU member states today discussed experience and future areas of cooperation to improve preparedness for influenza," said the Swedish Minister for Elderly Care and Public Health Maria Larsson at an informal meeting of the EU Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in Sweden.
According to a statement, the ministers discussed the importance of ensuring that all those living in the EU know how best to protect themselves and their family from influenza. The possibilities for coordination of communication activities at EU level will be tested in this context.
"An extra EPSCO meeting would be planned for the beginning of October. The continued work should be carried out in close cooperation with the World Health Organization," the statement said.
Influenza and its effects should quickly be integrated into all the EU's policy areas so as to take charge of the multi-sectoral dimension. The EU member states will continue to look into ways in which the EU can support the international community in dealing with a pandemic, it added.
It pointed out that the cooperation will encompass different measures regarding vaccines, antiviral drugs and other public health measures. In this context, it is important to develop strategies to protect people in different risk groups.
