Which vaccinations should you have this autumn and which are recommended in Germany

By Kirsten Ripper & Euronews Published on 30 October 2026 - 11:30 GMT+1 In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, 56, deliberately had his flu jab in front of the cameras. And in New York, the 35-year-old mayor Zohran Mamdani was already seen at the beginning of October laughing with a badge reading "I got my flu shot". ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT However, the flu jab hype is not felt in Germany, where fewer and fewer Germans are getting vaccinated. As the German medical magazine Ärzteblatt reports, the share of people aged 60 and over who were vaccinated against flu in 2025 was 34%. According to the German federal government agency Koch Institute (RKI), this is the lowest level in 17 years. Vaccination is recommended for people aged 60 and over; for everyone with chronic illnesses; for residents of care homes; for medical staff; for pregnant women; and for people who have contact with certain animals such as pigs or poultry, based on RKI recommendations. Older people in particular should get vaccinated against flu before winter. In addition to the flu shot, immunisation against pneumococci is recommended for older people in Germany, as well as against herpes zoster, or shingles. Vaccination against the respiratory disease RSV should be discussed with a doctor as well. Is another coronavirus vaccination needed? Coronavirus vaccination is recommended for those over 75 or who belong to a risk group, such as patients with weakened immune systems or medical staff. Pregnant women with health risks should also be immunised. Because of the reduced recommendation, however, not all patients with statutory health insurance now have the coronavirus vaccination fully reimbursed. According to the RKI, as early as 2025, only 16% of people over 60 in Germany were still getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Measles vaccination is compulsory for children in Germany There is a special vaccination schedule (source in German) for babies and young children. Among other things, it provides for immunisation against the respiratory virus RSV, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis B, meningitis, measles, rubella and mumps. In the United States, there have recently been waves of severe measles cases because of a lack of vaccination protection. In Germany, the Measles Protection Act requires proof of vaccination or immunity for children before they start nursery or school and for people born after 1970 who work in childcare or healthcare facilities. Vaccinations are good for health Several studies indicate that vaccinations can have positive effects beyond the protection provided by immunisation against a specific disease. Research is being carried out into how far the flu jab protects against cardiovascular complications and which vaccinations can help prevent dementia. The Deutsches Ärzteblatt reports evidence of so-called heterologous or non-specific effects, in which a vaccination influences the immune system in such a way that the immune response to other pathogens or diseases also changes.