What are the limitations of Influenza Surveillance?
Surveillance data is, inherently, a view of past activity, not a forecast of what to expect in the future. By the time most influenza surveillance data is collected and published, it is 1-2 weeks old. The state and Territorial Epidemiologists’ reports of influenza activity are the only state level information reported. Thus, lots of data are being collected, but there are no currently used methods to aggregate this data in time to make useful predictions about future influenza activity.
Surveillance data is based on past activity, so it isn’t a forecast of what to expect in the future. By the time most influenza surveillance data is collected and published, it is 1-2 weeks old. The state and territorial epidemiologists’ reports of influenza activity are the only state level information reported. Thus, lots of data are being collected, but there is currently no way to aggregate this data in time to make useful predictions about future influenza activity.
