Vaccinations
Vaccinations can be an effective way of protecting yourself against some infectious diseases. Here you can find out which vaccinations are available and how they work. The vaccination calendar also provides you with a comprehensive overview of the age and intervals at which vaccinations are due.
Which vaccinations do you need?
Some protective vaccinations, the so-called standard vaccinations, should be given to everyone who has not already got through the disease or who cannot be vaccinated for health reasons. In many cases, they not only protect the individual, but also people around them who are particularly at risk or who cannot be vaccinated.
Certain professional groups, but also older people and people with previous illnesses and pregnant women need special protection. They are often more severely ill with certain infections or have a higher risk of infection. Therefore, doctors advise them to have vaccinations that other people do not necessarily need. Doctors speak of an indication vaccination.
Which vaccinations you should have and when can be found in the vaccination calendar, which is based on the recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO).
Vaccinations from A to Z: Which are there?
There are a number of vaccinations available against infectious diseases. Some of them are recommended for everyone, some for special risk groups and some only for certain trips. The following list tells you which vaccinations are available.
C.- Cholera vaccination
- Coronavirus vaccination
- Dengue fever vaccination
- Diphtheria vaccination
- TBE vaccination
- Yellow fever vaccination
- Flu shot
- Shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination
- HPV vaccination
- Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination (Hib)
- Hepatitis vaccination
- Japanese encephalitis vaccination
- Whooping cough vaccination
- MMR vaccination
- Malaria prophylaxis
- Measles vaccination
- Meningococcal vaccination
- Mumps vaccination
- Pneumococcal vaccination
- Polio vaccination
- Rotavirus vaccination
- Rubella vaccination
- Tetanus vaccination
- Rabies vaccination
- Tuberculosis vaccination
- Typhoid vaccination
- Chickenpox vaccination
- Tick ​​vaccination
Influenza vaccination: who is it important for?
Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.
More posts by Christiane Fux sources- https://www.bgv-impfen.de/chronisch.html
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Chronically ill
Some chronically ill people fear to overload their weakened body with a flu shot. But flu can be dangerous for them in particular. That is why the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) recommends all heart patients, diabetics and people with chronic kidney or liver diseases to get vaccinated. Cancer patients should be vaccinated three months after chemotherapy at the earliest. -
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Asthma, COPD & Co.
For people with chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD as well as with cystic fibrosis, another advantage of the vaccination is that the already irritated airways are not additionally burdened by the infection. In addition, the lungs of these patients are poorly ventilated, which encourages pneumonia in the first place. Influenza viruses can make it even easier for the pathogens causing pneumonia. -
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Immunodeficiency and HIV
Pathogens of all kinds are dangerous for people with a weak immune system. The reason for the immune deficiency can be congenital or acquired diseases such as HIV. Even if the infection is manageable with medication, people infected with HIV should definitely get a flu vaccination. This also applies to people whose immune system is deliberately dampened by drugs - for example after a stem cell or organ transplant. -
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Autoimmune diseases
Patients with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatism, Crohn's disease or multiple sclerosis often receive so-called immunosuppressants. Special rules of the game apply to them when vaccinating, because vaccination can have a negative impact on the course of the disease. Therefore, the risks and benefits of the flu vaccination must be carefully weighed. -
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Pregnant women
What a lot do not know: During pregnancy, the immune system shuts down its activity. This prevents the immune cells from turning against the unborn child. Because even if it has half of its genetic make-up from its mother, it is a stranger to the immune cells in the body. Pregnant women therefore get the flu faster and more severely. And the child can also be harmed. The vaccination recommendation against flu is therefore also aimed at expectant mothers. -
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children
A flu vaccination can also be useful for healthy children. The STIKO has not yet made a recommendation for them - many experts still recommend it. With them, the flu vaccination is particularly reliable thanks to the youthful immune system. In addition, children usually have a lot of contacts and are therefore more likely to get infected. Secondly, vaccinated children cannot infect other people to whom the viruses are dangerous - this includes grandma and grandpa! -
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Seniors
In old age, not only does muscle strength dwindle, but the immune system also decreases. Older people are therefore more likely to get the flu and then more severely. People over the age of 60 should therefore get vaccinated. This is recommended by the Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) at the Robert Koch Institute. Seniors are also advised to have a one-time vaccination against pneumococci, a common cause of pneumonia. -
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Relatives and carers
Even if they themselves do not carry a high risk of complications: People with relatives who can be dangerous with the flu should get vaccinated. For the protection of their loved ones. The same applies to everyone who professionally has to do with people at risk - in old people's homes or in hospital wards. As people who have contact with many and changing people and are therefore also exposed to many viruses, they of course also benefit themselves. -
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Occupational groups at risk
In addition to the nursing and medical professions, the STIKO recommends a flu vaccination also for other professional groups with an increased risk of infection or with a lot of personal contact. This includes police officers, teachers, bus drivers and cashiers. If you do not belong to any of the groups mentioned but would like to be vaccinated, you can discuss the assumption of the vaccination costs with your health insurance company. -
From Christiane Fux Medical editor View sources
Current: Corona vaccinations - all the important answers
In the midst of the biggest vaccination campaign of all time, people are still asking themselves many questions: How effective are the vaccines and what are known side effects? How well do they protect against the Delta variant? And why is the second vaccination so important? The large dossier on corona vaccinations provides you with all the important answers and current developments. Read now!
Children: What vaccinations does my child need?
Newborns receive immune protection against many infectious diseases from their mother. But it already disappears in the first few weeks. But because even small children can get seriously ill with an infectious disease, the experts recommend first vaccinations at an early age. You can find out what these are, at what intervals and in what month or year of life vaccination should be carried out in Vaccination calendar.
Pregnancy: which vaccinations are important now?
If you are pregnant or planning to have a child, various vaccinations are especially important. In this way you protect yourself against illnesses in which pregnant women have an increased risk of a severe course. With a timely vaccination you also protect your child from harm. You can read here which vaccinations are advisable and generally allowed during pregnancy.
How is vaccination done?
As a rule, the doctor vaccinates the upper arm muscle (deltoid muscle) with a syringe. For infants and toddlers, pediatricians like to choose a thigh muscle (vastus lateralis muscle). Vaccinations in the muscle (intramuscular) are common for both live and dead vaccines.
However, some live vaccines can also be taken orally and swallowed. These oral vaccinations are available against rotaviruses or typhus, for example. There is also a live vaccine against the "real" flu that can be ingested through the nose. This nasal vaccination is a good alternative to the classic syringe, especially for children.
How do vaccinations work?
The classic vaccinations are so-called active immunizations. For this purpose, the doctor injects weakened (live vaccine) or killed pathogens or just certain components of them (dead vaccines). The body then forms antibodies and memory cells and thus builds up immune protection. This then also works against the "real" germ and fights it as soon as it appears.
The active is opposed to the passive immunization. Doctors directly administer antibodies against a specific pathogen. For example, they come from people who have already been through the disease. The antibodies provide first aid to ward off an acute infection: They help immediately if someone has already become infected. However, passive vaccination does not mean that long-term immune protection is built up.
If the doctor gives a passive and an active vaccination at the same time, this is called simultaneous vaccination. The active part only makes sense with dead vaccines, as passive immunization would greatly weaken the effect of live vaccinations.
Vaccination - this is how it works Here you can see how the vaccination trains our immune system and why viruses in the vaccine do not make us sick. Here you can see how the vaccination trains our immune system and why viruses in the vaccine do not make us sick.
Vaccination intervals: what do you have to consider?
Many vaccinations can be given at the same time. This can even strengthen the immune response. That is why the most important are offered as combination preparations.
However, if live vaccines are not given at the same time, there must be intervals between the individual vaccinations (at least four weeks each) so that the respective immune protection can develop. If such vaccinations are too close together, the vaccination protection will be weaker. This excludes orally administered live vaccines, so-called oral vaccinations. In the case of vaccinations with dead vaccines, there is also no time interval between vaccinations necessary.
Passive immunizations or therapeutic immunoglobulin administration are a special case. The antibodies contained can also inactivate live vaccines. After a passive vaccination, doctors therefore wait several months before administering a live vaccination. The exact distance depends on which antibodies (immunoglobulins) were given, what dose and in what form (intramuscular or intravenous).
The reverse applies: If you receive immunoglobulins or passive immunization within two weeks of active live immunization, this can impair the development of vaccination protection. The vaccination may have to be repeated later.
Basic vaccination, booster vaccination - when am I protected?
With some vaccinations, one or more childhood vaccinations are sufficient to provide lifelong protection. For others, this basic immunization has to be refreshed regularly over the course of their lives. There is therefore a special vaccination schedule for each vaccination, which determines the number of vaccinations for the primary vaccination and the need and timing of a booster vaccination.
An incomplete basic immunization can be completed years later. Experts then speak of a catch-up vaccination. You usually don't need to start all over again. You can also catch up on a missed booster vaccination after a long period of time without any problems. However, the longer you wait, the higher the risk that you will no longer be adequately protected.
If you are unsure whether you have been vaccinated, you can have the primary vaccination complete. Even if you unknowingly already have vaccination protection, an additional vaccination will not do any harm. Alternatively, for some conditions, the doctor can use a blood test to determine whether you are protected. He determines the so-called vaccination titer.
How are vaccines made?
The development and production of vaccines is complex. The authorities place the highest demands on the safety of vaccinations. Admission is only granted when these have proven to be effective and well tolerated in several study phases. This also applies if the drug authorities conditionally allow vaccines in times of crisis - as was the case most recently in the coronavirus pandemic.
Is vaccination dangerous?
Vaccination activates the immune system. Redness at the vaccination site or fatigue and a little fever are signs that the vaccination is working. However, some people worry whether vaccination can do more harm to them or their child.
It is correct: As with any effective drug, side effects can also occur with vaccinations. However, they can only be classified as difficult in individual cases. The risk of permanent or fatal consequences from the disease itself is many times higher!
You can read more about the widespread fears about vaccination, allegations by vaccination critics and how they are to be assessed here.
Travel vaccinations: which vaccinations are necessary?
For some long-haul trips in particular, experts recommend that you get an additional vaccination against the pathogens that are widespread there. For certain countries there are even compulsory vaccinations. If you cannot prove this, you may be denied entry. You should therefore find out in good time - at least six weeks before the start of your journey - about the risk of infection and necessary vaccinations in your destination area.
If you run out of time, you can get some vaccinations on a shortened schedule, for example before last-minute trips. However, these do not protect as effectively and for as long as vaccinations given on time. Nevertheless, the following applies: partial protection is better than none at all!
More about vaccinations
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Make three out of four: New vaccination recommendation for babies The RKI has updated its vaccination recommendation for six-fold vaccination in infancy. The institute now recommends the reduced "2 + 1 vaccination schedule". Learn more
