Vaccinations
Service description
Vaccination provides protection against infectious diseases.
The Standing Committee on Vaccination at the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO) issues recommendations once a year regarding which vaccinations are generally advisable, when they should be administered, and for whom in particular. STIKO’s recommendations are considered the scientific standard. There is no mandatory vaccination requirement in Germany.
After the initial immunization, which usually takes place during infancy or early childhood, many vaccines require regular booster shots to maintain immunity. Some vaccines are also recommended for specific occupational groups or populations, such as pregnant women.
- Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination
(Robert Koch Institute)
- Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination
Procedure
For vaccinations and consultations, contact your family doctor or your child’s pediatrician; for consultations, you can also contact your local public health department. Some public health departments also administer vaccinations themselves.
Tip: On the Robert Koch Institute’s website, you’ll find the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination regarding the vaccinations that infants, toddlers, adolescents, and adults should receive. You’ll also find a table listing vaccinations based on medical indications and booster shots. The recommendations are explained in detail with justifications and notices. For more information on vaccinations, visit the website of the Federal Center for Health Education at www.impfen-info.de; To find out which
vaccinations are important for travelers, visit the website of the Federal Foreign Office.Vaccinations are recorded in a yellow vaccination record. You can obtain the vaccination record from your family doctor or pediatrician.
- Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination
(Robert Koch Institute)
- Vaccination: Responsibility and Protection (Information)
(Federal Center for Health Education)
- Travel Medicine Precautions
(Federal Foreign Office)
- Recommendations of the Standing Committee on Vaccination
Prerequisites
The requirements for vaccination are:
- Assessment of the individual need for each vaccination
- Appropriate health status of the person to be vaccinated
What fees apply?
The costs of vaccinations recommended by STIKO, with the exception of travel vaccinations, are covered by health insurance. Statutory health insurance plans are not required to cover the costs of travel vaccinations. To determine the extent to which individual health insurance plans cover the costs of a travel vaccination as an additional benefit, please contact your health insurance provider.
Legal basis
Remarks
The Measles Prevention Act took effect on March 1, 2020.