Booster shot

The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends a booster shot for everyone aged 12 and over. The booster shot can be administered with an mRNA vaccine as early as three months after completing the primary course of vaccination.

The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends a second booster shot for people aged 70 or over, people living in or receiving care in nursing homes, people with weakened immune systems aged 5 or over, and people who work in medical or care facilities.

Those who are particularly at risk should receive the second booster shot in the form of an mRNA vaccine no sooner than three months after the first booster. Those who work in medical or care facilities should get the second booster no sooner than six months after their first booster jab.

STIKO does not recommend a further booster shot for people who catch COVID-19 after receiving their first booster.

A booster shot is also recommended for those people who have had a COVID-19 infection. If you caught COVID-19 after receiving a first or second dose of the vaccine, you should wait at least three months after having the infection or receiving your last dose of the vaccine before getting the booster shot. Under certain conditions, vaccination may be carried out as early as four weeks after an infection. The only situation where the authorities do not currently recommend getting a booster shot is if you catch COVID more than three months after your second vaccination.

Yes. The booster vaccination also provides greater protection against coronavirus during pregnancy. Since the COVID-19 vaccination is well tolerated by pregnant women and there is sufficient safety data available for the second and third trimesters, the general recommendation is that pregnant women receive a booster shot from their second trimester onwards. The booster shot should be Comirnaty (BioNTech/Pfizer) and be administered at least three months after the second vaccination. There is not enough data available yet to make a general recommendation for vaccinations in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The recommended booster shot comprises a single dose of one of the two approved mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty® from BioNTech/Pfizer or Spikevax® from Moderna). Due to the different side-effect profile, especially in younger individuals, it is considered safer for people under 30 years of age to exclusively get the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine as their booster shot. In the case of Biontech/Pfizer, the full dose should be used for the booster shot; in the case of Moderna, half the dose of the primary vaccination should be used for the booster shot.

No, the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) recommends the mRNA vaccines Comirnaty® from BioNTech or Spikevax® from Moderna for the booster vaccination. The protein-based COVID-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid® from Novavax is used for the primary course of vaccination for people aged 18 and over.

In principle, there is nothing to be said against receiving the vaccinations in parallel.

A simple cold should not prevent you from getting vaccinated. However, if you have a fever, it may be better to wait before getting vaccinated. Clarification with your general practitioner is recommended here.

It is difficult to estimate the individual severity of vaccination reactions. Studies show that the booster shot is well tolerated similar to the initial immunisation.

Anyone who has been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine that is not approved in the EU will need to get a new primary course of vaccination. This is the only way to get fully vaccinated status in the EU. You will need to wait at least 28 days before starting your new series of vaccinations.

Booster shots are offered by doctors’ surgeries, regional vaccination centres and mobile vaccination teams. Since 8 February, pharmacies have also been able to offer vaccinations.

Yes, in order to receive a booster shot, proof of the first and second vaccinations in the form of the yellow vaccination card, the digital vaccination certificate, or a replacement vaccination certificate, a photo ID, and, in the case of persons with immunodeficiency or under immunosuppressive therapy, an appropriate medical certificate, previous medical findings, or a doctor’s letter must be presented.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination can now only be submitted in the form of a QR code. The German yellow vaccination card is no longer sufficient. The QR code is on the digital vaccination certificate, which you will either be given at your vaccination appointment or will be able to collect from the pharmacy after completing your vaccination by presenting your yellow vaccination card. The QR code can then be scanned in the Corona Warn app or the CovPass app, though it is also valid in its paper form.

The vaccination is paid for by the federal government. This means that an insurance card is not required. Vaccination is usually also possible regardless of residence status.

As a general rule, individuals who have already received a booster shot no longer have to present a current negative COVID-19 test result in places where the 2G+ rule applies – for example, in restaurants, at the zoo, or at leisure and cultural events. However, an exception currently applies to clubs and discos, where people still need to present a negative COVID-19 test result even if they have had their booster shot.