Covid-19 vaccinations

Who is entitled to a vaccine?

Anyone who lives or works in Germany or who is usually resident in Germany is entitled to get a Covid-19 vaccine, regardless of their insurance coverage. The vaccines for the basic immunisation and the booster vaccinations are free for these people. Currently the costs are being covered by the german government.

Based on regulations regarding the admission of the vaccines, that are available in Germany, people from the age of 5 can get vaccinated. 

Vaccination recommendation and schedule

To be protected against a severe COVID-19 course, a complete basic immunization is required. According to the recommendations of the STIKO, vaccination is given according to the following schedule:

• 2 doses of Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer) at 3-6 week intervals or
• 2 doses of Spikevax (Moderna) at intervals of 4-6 weeks or
• 2 doses of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) at 9-12 week intervals or
• 2 doses of Nuvaxovid (Novavax) at 3 week intervals or
• 1 dose of Covid-19 Vaccine Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) followed by 1 dose of Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) starting 4 weeks after the 1st dose
• 1 dose of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca) followed by a dose of Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) starting 4 weeks after the 1st dose.

If the period between the first and second dose of the vaccine is exceeded, the series of vaccinations should still be continued rather than started again from the first dose.

With regard to the use of the vaccines, the following STIKO recommendations currently apply:

• Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer): children from 5 years old (children between 5 and 11 years old with a pediatric dose, children and adolescents from 12 years old with an adult dose), unvaccinated pregnant and breastfeeding women regardless of age
• Spikevax (Moderna): persons from 30 years of age
• Nuvaxovid (Novavax): persons aged 12 and older
• Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca): persons 60 years and older
• Covid-19 Vaccine Janssen (Johnson & Johnson): Persons 60 years of age and older

Note: Individuals who have been fully vaccinated with the non-EU licensed vaccines CoronaVac from Sinovac, Covilo from Sinopharm, Covaxin from Bharat Biotech International Limited, or SputnikV from Gamelaya should undergo boosters with an mRNA vaccine 3 months after the last vaccine dose. They will then be considered fully vaccinated. However, those who have received only one vaccination dose with one of the above mentioned vaccines should receive a basic immunization and booster with a vaccine licensed in Germany.

Note on vaccinating children

Note on vaccinating pregnant and breastfeeding women

Unvaccinated pregnant women from the 2nd trimester and unvaccinated breastfeeding women should receive Covid-19 vaccination with two doses of mRNA vaccine, preferably Cominaty. If pregnancy was established after the first vaccination, the second vaccination should not be administered until the 2nd trimester. Available study results on the safety of Corona vaccination during pregnancy or lactation do not show a clustered occurrence of undesirable side effects in mother and child.

If you have any particular concerns or questions, it may be advisable for you to contact your gynecologist or general practitioner, as they know you and your medical history best. He or she will be happy to advise you.

Booster vaccination

To whom is a booster vaccination recommended?

• The STIKO generally recommends booster vaccination for all persons over the age of 12. The recommendation also applies to pregnant women (from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy) and breastfeeding women. The STIKO also recommends a booster vaccination for children aged 5 - 11 years with a previous illness.

When should the booster vaccination take place?

• Ideally, the booster vaccination should be given from 3 months after the second vaccination dose. For booster vaccination of persons aged 18 years and older, the two mRNA vaccines Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna) are used in Germany*. Children and adolescents between 12 and 17 years of age should also receive a booster with Comirnaty (Biontech/Pfizer) within a time window of 3 to 6 months after the completed basic immunization. Children with a previous illness aged 5-11 years should receive the booster at an interval of ≥6 months after the completed basic immunization.
• Persons vaccinated once with Covid-19 Vaccine Janssen (Johnson&Johnson) should receive a second dose with an mRNA vaccine starting as early as four weeks after vaccination. They also should receive a booster vaccination with an mRNA vaccine Comirnaty from (Biontech/Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) three months apart from the second dose of vaccine.

*Nuvaxovid has not yet been approved for booster vaccination, but may still be used for booster vaccination in persons 12 years of age and older if contraindicated to mRNA vaccines. 

If you have any particular concerns or questions, it may be advisable for you to contact your general practitioner. He or she will advise you the best regarding the booster vaccination.

2nd booster vaccination

To whom is a 2nd booster vaccination recommended?

The STIKO recommends a second booster vaccination to the following persons:

1. Persons with immunodeficiency from 5 years of age.
2. Persons aged 5 years and older with an increased risk of severe COVID-19 due to an underlying disease
3. All persons aged 60 and over
4. Residents in long-term care facilities and persons with an increased risk of a severe course of the disease in institutions for integration assistance
5. Staff in medical facilities and care institutions, especially those with direct contact to patients or residents.

When should the 2nd booster vaccination take place?

• Persons aged 5 years and older with immunodeficiency: The 2nd booster vaccination should be given at the earliest 3 months after the 1st booster vaccination with an mRNA vaccine.
• Persons of the other above mentioned groups: The 2nd booster vaccination should be given at the earliest 6 months after the 1st booster vaccination with an mRNA vaccine.

Individuals in the above groups who have experienced a SARS-CoV-2 infection after the 1st booster vaccination are not recommended to receive another booster vaccination.

How you will receive your Covid-19 vaccination

Currently, the vaccination can be claimed in most medical practices and private doctors. Vaccination is also offered by company physicians in some cases. In addition, qualified pharmacists may also vaccinate against COVID-19. You can find participating pharmacies in your area here https://www.mein-apothekenmanager.de/ .

Persons in nursing facilities and homes are mainly vaccinated against COVID-19 by mobile vaccination teams. Persons who are not mobile and live at home can also be vaccinated by their local family doctor.

You can find out where there are vaccination facilities and vaccination campaigns in your federal state on the homepage of the federal government. There you will also find state-specific regulations regarding the Corona vaccination.

Note: Nursing facilities coordinate Corona vaccination within the facility with the agencies responsible in the federal states with the help of mobile vaccination teams. Corona vaccination via the company physician is coordinated by each company itself. Your employer will approach you should vaccination be offered in your company.

Find out more:

• Information leaflets, medical history and consent forms for Covid-19 vaccinations are available in various languages from the Robert Koch Institute 
• General information on the coronavirus in Germany (e.g. hygiene recommendations, information on financial aid, travel and coronavirus testing on return from travel)