Adult vaccinations

The vaccinations only provide protection for ten years. This has been shown in studies. For this reason, a booster is necessary in order to have the full protection of the vaccine.

Combined vaccinations allow for protection against multiple illnesses to be administered in a single vaccination dose. This reduces the number of vaccinations overall.

There are different combined vaccinations for adults, which are suitable as boosters. You can get one or more components for protection against tetanus, diphtheria and/or whooping cough and/or polio (for which a booster is also needed as an adult, if you were not sufficiently vaccinated as a child).

The measles vaccination is certainly administered to children. But two courses of vaccination are required. Some individuals were only vaccinated once as children or perhaps even not at all. With just one course of vaccination, adults are not fully protected and may contract the disease as a result. For adults, measles can be life-threatening.

No. Vaccines contain tiny quantities of pathogens that have been made harmless and are meant to activate the immune system against them. Getting tetanus from a tetanus–diphtheria vaccination, for example, is not possible.

Today’s vaccines are tolerated extremely well. Around a third of those vaccinated experience redness or minor swelling around the injection site. This is a harmless reaction and shows that the body is reacting to the vaccine. Occasionally, in the first three days after the vaccination, general symptoms such as an increase in temperature or tiredness may occur, although these usually subside after one to three days.

There are isolated instances of side effects such as headaches, body aches, nausea or allergic reactions being reported. Today’s vaccinations are monitored extremely closely, and the chances of complications are very rare.

If you have an acute infection or are allergic to a vaccine, please speak with your doctor before getting vaccinated.

The flu vaccination is recommended for pregnant women, as contracting the flu while pregnant can be life-threatening both for the baby and for the mother. During pregnancy the risk of flu complications is very high: pregnant women may contract pneumonia, and the baby may experience growth delays or even premature birth or stillbirth. Find out more about the flu vaccination on the ‘Flu vaccination’ page.

Individuals with a chronic illness or who have recently had an operation should speak with their doctor about what other vaccinations are important for them. The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends these vaccinations for individuals with the following underlying conditions:

• Chronic respiratory, cardiovascular or metabolic disorders: flu, pneumococcus
• Immune system disorders: flu, pneumococcus, meningococcus, hepatitis B, chickenpox
• Liver and blood diseases: flu, pneumococcus, hepatitis A and B
• Spleen diseases: flu, pneumococcus, meningococcus, haemophilus influenzae type B (hib)
• Kidney diseases: flu, pneumococcus, hepatitis B
• Multiple sclerosis: flu

Vaccinations are also recommended in the following cases:

• Before surgical intervention: hepatitis B and haemophilus influenzae type B (hib)
• Before organ transplants: flu, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, chickenpox