Infokiri

UN City, Marmorvej 51 Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00 Email: [email protected] DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Denmark

Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Website: https://www.who.int/europe

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTÉ

WELTGESUNDHEITSORGANISATION ВСЕМИРНАЯ ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ ЗДРАВООХРАНЕНИЯ

Date: 7 October 2025

Ms Helen Sõber Adviser European Union Affairs and International Co- operation Department Ministry of Social Affairs Suur-Ameerika 1 10122 Tallinn Estonia

REGIONAL OFFICE FOR EUROPE BUREAU RÉGIONAL DE L’EUROPE

REGIONALBÜRO FÜR EUROPA ЕВРОПЕЙСКОЕ РЕГИОНАЛЬНОЕ БЮРО

Head office: UN City, Marmorvej 51,

DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Tel.: +45 45 33 70 00; Fax: +45 45 33 70 01

Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.who.int/europe

Our reference: Notre référence: Unser Zeichen: См. наш номер:

MAW/KN A/kha

Your reference: Votre référence: Ihr Zeichen: На Ваш номер:

Dear Ms Sõber,

I am pleased to inform you that, following a review of performance during the 2023/2024 influenza seasons, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the continued recognition of the National Influenza Centre (NIC) of Estonia, under the leadership of Ms Johanna Kristina Tamm, at the Laboratory for Communicable Diseases Health Board. This recognition reflects the Centre’s sustained compliance with the established WHO criteria and its important contribution to global influenza surveillance.

NICs are a cornerstone of national, regional, and global preparedness and response to influenza. Through their participation in the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), NICs provide essential data that inform risk assessments, guide control measures, and underpin the biannual recommendations for the composition of seasonal influenza vaccines. Their contributions are indispensable to global health security.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for robust, integrated systems to monitor respiratory pathogens of public health importance. Building on existing influenza surveillance, WHO now strongly recommends the integration of SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) into established surveillance platforms. Many Member States have already embarked on this path, demonstrating both feasibility and added value.

I take this opportunity to encourage your Ministry to continue providing full support to the NIC in your country to enable it to:

• maintain its essential role in influenza surveillance in line with the WHO Terms of Reference;

• actively participate in the sharing of representative influenza viruses and data through GISRS;

• strengthen capacities for integrated surveillance of influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV.

– 2 –

WHO remains fully committed to supporting your country in these efforts, through the provision of technical guidance, training, external quality assessments, and opportunities for collaboration within the GISRS network and beyond.

Allow me to thank you sincerely for your Ministry’s continued collaboration and commitment. With your leadership and support, the NIC in your country will remain a central actor in protecting national, regional, and global health.

Sincerely yours,

Dr Ihor Perehinets Health Security and Regional Emergency Director Division of Health Security.

Copy for information to: Ms Agne Nettan-Sepp, Head, European Union Affairs and International Co-operation Department, Ministry of Social Affairs, Suur-Ameerika 1, 10129 Tallinn, Estonia H.E. Ms Riia Salsa-Audiffren, Ambassador Representative of the Republic of Estonia, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 28A, CH-1209 Genève, Switzerland H.E. Mr Andre Pung, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Estonia, Frederiksgade 19, 4th floor, 1265 Copenhagen K, Denmark Ms Kristina Köhler, Liaison Officer, WHO Country Office, Estonia, Paldiski Road 81, 10617 Tallinn, Estonia

– 3 –

Enclosure

Details of the NIC in your country, status of WHO-recognition

and key reference documents

NIC should demonstrate each year that they comply with the WHO NIC terms of reference. Those NIC that did not meet the criteria will have one year for corrective action, which will be supported by WHO where possible. Thank you for reviewing the NIC details below and to inform us of any changes.

1. NIC details

Laboratory for Communicable Diseases Health Board Paldiski mnt 81, 10614, Tallinn, Estonia Fax: +372 6943 651 Status of WHO recognition for 2023-2024 season:

Maintained: NIC meets the criteria

Provisionally maintained: NIC failed to meet all the criteria

2. Key reference documents: 1. How to become a WHO-recognized National Influenza Centre: Guidance on the process for influenza laboratories in the WHO European Region [web site]. Copenhagen, WHO Regional Office for Europe, (https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/559f5757-5646-4aa5-850c-4f81574a4edf/content) 2. Terms of Reference for National Influenza Centres, revised, 30 May 2024 [web site]. Geneva, World Health Organization, (https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/influenza/national-influenza-centers-files/nic-tor- 2025/gisrs_nic_tor_2025--english.pdf?sfvrsn=83a27315_5) 3. Pandemic influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits, second edition. Geneva: World Health organization; 2021, (https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/4e22d25c-7084-4832-a0ff-667eac7ed714/content) 4. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control/WHO Regional Office for Europe, European Respiratory Virus Surveillance Summary (ERVISS), (https://erviss.org/)

