2.6.1 Scope of the services in LOT 5  Specific objectives for the lot  21  • To design and implement a study to estimate the effectiveness of a full-course of COVID-19  vaccine(s) against laboratory (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) confirmed COVID-19 infection in  individuals presenting in primary care clinics (outpatients) aged > 18 years in the EU/EEA (primary  study objective). Other secondary outcomes can be proposed.  • To design and implement a study to estimate the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine(s)  against laboratory-confirmed (PCR) influenza infection in individuals presenting in primary care  clinics (outpatients) aged > 18 years in the EU/EEA (primary study objective). Other secondary  outcomes can be proposed.  • To design and prepare for studies to estimate vaccine effectiveness during influenza, coronavirus and  other respiratory pandemics. • Other study designs may be proposed by the contractor and shall be discussed with ECDC.  The overall aim of this lot is to estimate vaccine effectiveness of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza  vaccines among the subjects included in the target groups for vaccination and presenting to primary care  with a syndrome compatible with influenza or COVID-19. A secondary aim is to provide preparedness for  rapid implementation of such studies in other respiratory pandemics in the future.  The assessment of the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccines in preventing occurrence of  disease in real-world settings will help to inform their benefit-risk profile, as vaccination will continue to  be deployed and new vaccine formulation become licensed. The assessment needs to take into account  also the variation in circulating strains or clades of the viruses. The results will serve to guide decision-making on vaccination strategies, also in light of emerging new  variants of COVID-19 or strains of influenza. The results may also be used to support decision-making on  vaccine composition and direct research and development of available vaccines, when relevant.  For the purposes of achieving the overall aim a geographically representative network of study sites in  EU/EEA will be established or enlarged. Such a network shall be capable of recruiting subjects for one or  both of the clinical pictures, implement annual studies, ensure quality control and report on a timely  basis to ECDC, other stakeholders and the general public.  Study sites as defined in this lot can be represented by a country or a subnational administrative unit of a  country, with a network of primary care units (sentinel or with national coverage).  The studies should be performed in collaboration with the national competent public authority of the  concerned EU Member States; the ECDC will facilitate these interactions if needed. Previous relevant  work and relevant documents will be shared by ECDC with the contractor.  The contractor will be expected to obtain  applicable approval for the conduct of the study, any  subsequent additional analyses and study material (e.g. institutional review board approval, ethics  committee approval where necessary, data protection body approval). 2.6 Description of the services LOT 5: Vaccine effectiveness against COVID- 19 and seasonal influenza among patients presenting to primary care  physicians in EU/EEA 