Vaccinations
Vaccination is not compulsory in Germany, but is strongly recommended by the relevant authorities. If you are not sure what to do, you can ask your doctor or use the German vaccination system and recommended vaccinations as a guide.
Depending on which country you grew up in, you may have already been vaccinated against certain diseases. However, these diseases may not be widespread in Germany. Instead, immunizations are given against completely different diseases. So even if you are already an adult, it may be necessary to be vaccinated again. It is best to ask specifically about vaccinations for adults at your next visit to the doctor.
What do I need to know?
Which vaccinations are recommended?
The STIKO recommends the following vaccinations for people living in Germany: Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus influenza type b), polio (poliomyelitis), hepatitis B, pneumococcus, rotavirus, meningococcus C, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), chickenpox (varicella), HPV (human papillomavirus) and COVID-19 (as of May 2023).
Please note: Vaccination against measles is mandatory for residents of shared accommodation. You can find out more about this in our section on refugee accommodation.
The STIKO also recommends vaccination against influenza for older people and pregnant women.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination against the coronavirus was one of the most important and most recommended vaccinations. The STIKO has included the coronavirus vaccination in its vaccination recommendations (as of May 2023). This includes a basic immunization (three vaccinations or infection + two vaccinations) for adults and booster vaccinations for risk groups every 12 months.
After close skin contact with people infected with Mpox, the STIKO recommends vaccination against Mpox for adults. During an Mpox outbreak, it also recommends that people with frequently changing sexual partners get vaccinated as a protective measure. (Status: July 2022[M1] )
[M1] 2022 is correct. We totally didn't write any info about this before. So now we do.
The STIKO recommends vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) for all people who spend a lot of time outdoors in TBE risk areas. TBE is an inflammation of the brain, meninges and spinal cord that is transmitted by viruses. The viruses are most commonly transmitted through tick bites. You can find out more about this at rki.de.
If you are traveling abroad, additional vaccinations may be advisable or mandatory. You can find out more about this on the website of the Tropical Institute.
How often do I need to be vaccinated?
There are various vaccination schedules to ensure that you are immune to the pathogens. For some vaccinations, you need to be vaccinated several times at certain intervals. In particular, the basic immunization (which can be given to children between six weeks and 23 months) often consists of four partial vaccinations (G1 to G4). After the basic immunization, booster vaccinations often have to be given, especially between the ages of two and 17. However, boosters may also be necessary at an older age. You can find the STIKO vaccination calendar on the website of the Robert Koch Institute in many languages.
What is a vaccination certificate?
In Germany, you will receive a small yellow booklet, the vaccination record (also known as a vaccination card or vaccination book), when you are vaccinated for the first time. Your vaccinations are noted there, which is important for immunization. Bring the vaccination card with you when you visit the doctor. If you have underage children, it is your responsibility to keep their vaccination record and to keep an eye on the vaccination calendar for the partial vaccinations.
In addition to the vaccination record, you can also keep a so-called children's examination booklet (also known as the "yellow booklet") for your children. In this booklet, the nine regular check-ups (U1 - U9) are documented at every visit to the doctor until your child is 6 years old in order to detect illnesses at an early stage. You will receive the booklet from your maternity clinic or midwife shortly after the birth of your child. If you lose the child examination booklet or do not yet have one, you can also ask your doctor's surgery for one.
Who pays for the vaccinations?
The statutory health insurance companies pay for the vaccinations recommended by the STIKO. If you work in an occupation where there is an increased risk of infection, your employer will pay for the vaccinations. This applies to nursery school teachers, for example. If you are going abroad and certain vaccinations are mandatory there or there is an increased risk of certain diseases, you can ask your health insurance provider whether they will pay for the necessary vaccinations. You can find out more about health insurance in our chapter on health insurance.
How can I protect myself from infection?
In kindergartens, schools, vacation camps or shared accommodation, there are many people in a confined space. There are therefore regulations in place to protect people from infectious diseases. In any case, sick people are obliged to report an infectious disease so that further infections can be prevented. Children who have an infectious disease are not allowed to go to kindergarten or school. Multilingual information on this can be found on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.
Where can I find more information?
You can find recommendations for vaccinations in many languages at rki.de. You can also find further multilingual information material on the Robert Koch Institute website.
At infektionsschutz.de you will find information on common diseases and their pathogens in six different languages.
If you can speak German, visit the website of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), www.impfen-info.de. In the media library there you will also find a number of explanatory videos.
Important
In addition to vaccinations, hygiene also helps to prevent infectious diseases. Proper hand washing and coughing, sufficient hygiene in the kitchen and bathroom and hygiene when handling animals are important to protect yourself and others. On infektionsschutz.de you will find a lot of information in German.
Despite not being compulsory, vaccination against measles is mandated for residents of shared accommodation in Germany. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the STIKO recommended vaccination against the coronavirus, including a basic immunization for adults and booster vaccinations for risk groups.
Source: handbookgermany.de
