On 1 July 2026, Active Citizenship Network took part in the closed-door roundtable discussion “Preventing respiratory infections in older adults in Europe: What works?”, co-organised by the European Health Management Association (EHMA) and Sanofi in Brussels.
The meeting brought together a small group of stakeholders such as healthcare professionals and public health experts, health economists, patient and civil society representatives, academics and industry to discuss practical approaches to reducing avoidable hospitalisations caused by respiratory infections among older adults.
The event formed part of the broader “Preventing Hospitalisation in Europe” policy series, which aims to identify evidence-based and transferable solutions to strengthen prevention, improve preparedness and reduce pressure on health systems during periods of high circulation of respiratory infections such as influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.
Building on the findings of a previous roundtable focused on frontline experiences during the most recent winter season, the discussion shifted attention from challenges to implementation. Participants exchanged views on what has worked in practice to better protect older adults against respiratory infections and reduce avoidable hospitalisations, on successful prevention and immunisation strategies and the barriers that continue to limit wider adoption and scale-up across Europe.
ACN contributed to the discussion by emphasising the importance of integrating respiratory infection prevention into wider healthy ageing and chronic disease management strategies. From a citizens' and patients' perspective, prevention should not be viewed as a stand-alone intervention, but as part of a comprehensive approach encompassing vaccination, health literacy, access to care, continuity of care, and chronic disease management. Particular attention was given to the role of prevention in reducing avoidable hospitalisations among older adults and people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), as well as to the importance of trust, effective communication and citizen engagement in supporting uptake of preventive measures.
Insights gathered during the roundtable will contribute to the development of a policy-focused report and inform discussions at the third and final event of the series, scheduled for autumn 2026, which will focus on the endorsement of policy recommendations ahead of the next winter season.
