Early risk assessment: What to expect of the 2017/18 influenza season in Norway

The report is based on data from a late-summer serosurvey, early-season surveillance data, vaccine sales and experience from previous influenza seasons. The report is meant to support capacity planning in the health services, provide background information to infection control and other health-care and public health personnel, as well as to provide in-depth information on influenza outbreaks in general. At this point, as the 2017-2018 outbreak is beginning to unfold, it is of particular interest to assess the different circulating influenza viruses, their eventual spread, and how this will influence the extent of illness, severe illness and mortality in various risk and age groups. The report is this year written in English, since we presume that the pre-season immunity and early surveillance data analysis may be of interest beyond Norway.