Heterogeneity in influenza seasonality and vaccine effectiveness in Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa: early estimates of the 2019 influenza season.
Abstract
In Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa, sentinel surveillance is conducted in primary care and/or hospitals to monitor the timing, intensity and impact of influenza seasons, and to estimate influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). While the influenza epidemics of these four southern hemisphere countries often coincide, the type of epidemic experienced can vary. Nevertheless, the influenza season experienced in southern hemisphere countries has sometimes been interpreted as a forewarning to the northern hemisphere [1]. Here, we describe the heterogeneity experienced during the 2019 influenza season in these four countries and provide early VE estimates.
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