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The meeting of the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) was convened on 7 October 1999 and reconvened on 9 November.

Having considered the information on international surveillance by the WHO, and recent epidemiological data and strain characterisation presented at both AIVC meetings, the Committee decided that the composition of vaccines for the year 2000 season should be as follows:

• A (H3N2): a A/Sydney/5/97 (H3N2) - like strain,15 µg HA per dose
• A (H1N1): a A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) - like strain, 15 µg HA per dose
• B: a B/Beijing/184/93 - like strain, 15 µg HA per dose

It was also determined that the following viruses are suitable vaccine strains:

• A/Sydney/5/97(IVR-108 and RESVIR-13) are A/Sydney/5/97 (H3N2)-like strains
• A/New Caledonia/20/99 (IVR-116) is an A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like strain
• B/Yamanashi/166/98 is a B/Beijing/184/93-like strain

This article was published in Communicable Diseases Intelligence Volume 23, No 12, 25 November 1999.