Sixth Meeting of the European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE)

The 6th meeting of the European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) was held at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, from 24-25 October 2006. The objectives of the meeting were to provide ETAGE members with updates and receive input on the following:

1. Programmatic activities carried out in 2006 and plans for 2007;
2. Accelerated disease control status in 2006, including measles and rubella elimination and efforts to sustain “polio-free” status in the WHO European Region;
3. The status of integration of assessment and training activities relating to vaccine-preventable disease surveillance in the countries of the Region.

In addition ETAGE discussed and endorsed the following:
1. Report of the European Immunization Week 2005 and plans for 2007.
2. Report of the 9th meeting of Operation MECACAR and implementation plan for operation MECACAR New Millennium.
3. Plan for strengthening coordination with the ECDC in the field of immunization and vaccine- preventable diseases.
4. The regional guidelines on outbreak response in case of importation of wild poliovirus and/or detection of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus.