Low coverage of seasonal influenza vaccination in the elderly in many European countries

In May 2003, the 56th World Health Assembly (WHA) recommended influenza vaccination for all people at high risk defined as the elderly and persons with underlying diseases [1]. The WHA countries, including all European Union (EU) Member States, also committed to the goal of attaining vaccination coverage of the elderly population of at least 50% by 2006 and 75% by 2010 and to having mechanisms for monitoring the uptake [1]. To date there has been no published survey on how successful European countries have been in implementing this WHA resolution.