Every flu season, the number of people who get ill by the various influenza viruses increases. The flu viruses affect people differently: while some people are mildly affected and may miss school, work, or social events as they rest and recover in a few days, others are severely affected and are hospitalized or even suffer fatal consequences due to influenza complications. It is hard to predict the severity of the seasonal influenza viruses and the number of people that may be affected each year. However, being fully prepared for combating the influenza viruses every season plays an important role in reducing the burden of the disease and losses associated with severe illness.

 Populations - especially at-risk groups - are best protected by the annual seasonal flu vaccine. The influenza vaccine is proven to reduce the severity of the disease, and dramatically reduces the number of hospitalized patients. Nevertheless, the number of people who demand the vaccine is still low, and influenza remains one of the priority public health threats worldwide.