We have used a rather crude method to assess the geographic spread of influenza activity in Europe. A more refined method would be to collect doctor specific data as routinely is done in France [19] . As these data are not available yet within EISS we had to use the methodology of analysing peak levels of activity in each country. In 2005 EISS initiated a European Mapping Project, in which data from Germany and the Netherlands were brought together to map the spread of influenza on a weekly basis, using data from about 500 physicians in Germany and 84 in the Netherlands [20] . This project has now been extended to 7 countries and hopefully the upcoming data will allow us to better assess the spread of influenza [21] . These results have important consequences for public health: it allows better planning of health care resources at a local level, and at a European level better recommendations can be made about the timing of vaccination.