Europe’s influenza season has arrived earlier than expected this year, raising concerns about pressure on health systems as respiratory illnesses circulate during the winter months.  

While the surge has prompted questions about vaccine effectiveness and vulnerable groups, health experts say the situation remains manageable – if people take the right precautions.  

Speaking with UN News’s Vibhu Mishra, Marc-Alain Widdowson, who leads pandemic threat and communicable disease work at the World Health Organization’s European Regional Office, explains what’s driving this year’s flu season, who is most at risk, and why it’s still not too late to get vaccinated. 

Audio credit: Vibhu Mishra, UN News

Why Europe’s flu season started early – and why vaccination still matters

UN News audio products range from daily interviews to our flagship podcast series, ‘The Lid Is On’.  On our Sound Cloud account we  provide also audio clips of statements. 

For other audio products such as our Monday-Friday 'News in Brief', please visit our UN News website - Audio Hub where you can download the full range of bulletins, packages, podcasts and interviews, in easy-to-use mp3 format. 

All our products can be downloaded and used free of charge and without attribution by broadcasters in their programmes or as a source of information and materials for individual reporters.

https://news.un.org/en/audio-hub

Why Europe’s flu season started early – and why vaccination still matters

United Nations News