Vaccinations

In Germany, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) prepares vaccination recommendations and recommendations on specific prevention measures (such as administering antibodies) for children, adolescents and adults, considering the benefits both to those vaccinated and to the population as a whole. The independent committee is based at the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which also houses its Executive Secretariat.

Based on STIKO’s recommendations, the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) stipulates the details of coverage of immunisation costs by the health insurance funds. Beyond this entitlement shared by all persons insured under the statutory health insurance scheme, the health insurance funds can include cost coverage of additional vaccinations in their non-statutory benefits. Those can include, for instance, certain travel vaccinations.

For persons with private health insurance, cost coverage of vaccinations is regulated in their insurer’s contractual terms.

Basic immunisation for babies, children and adolescents

STIKO’s recommendations consider the optimum timing for building vaccine-derived immunity (basic immunisation). Since some infectious diseases are much more severe in infants and young children than in older children, STIKO recommends that the first vaccinations be given as early as a few days after birth. Individual vaccinations are assigned to recommended vaccination schedules; for full basic immunisation, two to three appointments are needed. An overview of all recommended vaccinations is provided by the STIKO Immunisation Schedule.

Depending on the age of the children and adolescents, STIKO recommends vaccination against the following infectious agents and diseases:

• Rotavirus
• RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough (pertussis)
• Polio (poliomyelitis)
• Hib (haemophilus influenzae type b)
• Hepatitis B
• Meningococcal disease group B
• Meningococcal disease group C
• Pneumococcal disease
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• Chicken pox (varicella)
• HPV (human papillomavirus)

Combination vaccines are available for some vaccinations, allowing for immunity against several infectious diseases to be achieved by getting a single shot. Those include the STIKO-recommended hexavalent vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), whooping cough (pertussis) and hepatitis B as well as the combination vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and, if appropriate, chickenpox (MMRV).

Boosters for children and adolescents

For some vaccines, booster doses are recommended during childhood and adolescence:

• two diphtheria boosters
• two tetanus boosters
• two whooping cough (pertussis) boosters
• one polio booster

Combination vaccines are also available for booster shots.

Standard and booster vaccinations for adults

Adults who had missed out on some vaccinations during their childhood should seek consultation with the attending doctor for vaccinations beyond those listed below.

STIKO recommends these vaccinations for all adults:

• Diphtheria and tetanus (recommended every ten years)
• Whooping cough (pertussis) (one-time booster dose, as a combination vaccine with the next scheduled booster against diphtheria and tetanus)
• Measles (for people born after 1970 who are unvaccinated, have an ambiguous vaccination status or who were only vaccinated once as children)
• COVID-19 basic immunity (≥ 3 antigen exposures (vaccination or infection), at least one of which through vaccination)

People aged 60 or over:

• COVID-19 basic immunity (≥ 3 antigen exposures (vaccination or infection), at least one of which through vaccination) plus an annual booster shot in autumn
• Flu (influenza) (once a year in autumn)
• Pneumococcus (one-time)
• Shingles (herpes zoster, two individual vaccine doses)
• RSV (respiratory syncytial virus, only for people who live in long-term care facilities and/or have a serious pre-existing condition, once in late summer/autumn)

People aged 75 or over:

• RSV (once in late summer/autumn)

Immunisation during pregnancy

• Flu (influenza)
• Whooping cough (pertussis)
• COVID-19 basic immunity (≥ 3 antigen exposures (vaccination or infection), at least one of which through vaccination)

For vaccinations during pregnancy, there are recommended vaccination schedules to be determined in consultation with the doctor.

Indication-based vaccination

Individual or several vaccinations are recommended for certain groups of people with a higher risk of infection, disease or complications as well as to protect others. An example is the vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which is recommended in certain regions of Germany (Map of TBE risk areas, german) or the vaccination against the Mpox virus (monkey pox) for people at a higher risk of exposure and infection.

Occupational indications

Vaccinations may also be recommended for occupational reasons to address a higher occupational risk and/or to protect others while working.

For further information, please contact your doctor. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are also available at pharmacies.