BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday issued its recommendations on the composition of the influenza vaccines for use in the 2019-2020 northern hemisphere influenza season.

The recommendations were issued after a consultation meeting by a WHO advisory group in Beijing, sponsored by the National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).

The WHO organizes consultations with an advisory group of experts to analyze influenza virus surveillance data and issue recommendations on the composition of the influenza vaccines for the northern and southern hemispheres respectively in the following influenza season.

The recommendations are used by the national vaccine regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical companies to develop, produce and license influenza vaccines.

It is the first time that the WHO has held such an event for northern hemisphere outside its headquarters in the past two decades.

The China CDC said in a statement that China was willing to further share its surveillance data with the world, provide technical training for underdeveloped countries and work with the WHO and the global influenza surveillance network in fighting influenza.