Following the experience gathered during the COVID-19 crisis, the Respi-Radar was developed by the Belgian Risk Assessment Group (RAG) in the summer of 2023, with the aim of assessing the epidemiological situation of respiratory infections and informing public health preparedness and response in Belgium. The Respi-Radar consisted of four levels (green, yellow, orange and red) which indicated the extent of viral circulation and/or pressure on the healthcare system. Depending on the level, specific measures would apply to reverse the trend. The Respi-Radar used six indicators, from the Influenza-Like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection sentinel surveillances in nursing homes, primary and secondary care, as well as from the wastewater surveillance. Additional information, such as data from the national reference laboratories, also contributed to assessing the situation. Based on the Respi-Radar tool, the RAG regularly evaluated the epidemiological situation of respiratory infections between September 2023 and March 2024. The Respi-Radar tool appeared useful for following trends and effectively communicating on the epidemiological situation of respiratory infections. Applying specific measures depending on a level was less straightforward. The experience gained using the Respi-Radar tool was key to determine the best approach to assess and manage the epidemiological situation for future respiratory seasons.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding was provided by the Federal and Federated Authorities of Belgium.

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.

Yes

I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).

Yes

I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable.

Yes

All data produced in the present study are available upon request to the authors