Flu vaccination at the pharmacy

Pharmacies were allowed to give the flu vaccination well before the rules were extended on 2 July 2026. You need no doctor’s appointment or referral. The minimum age is 18.

Who the flu vaccination is recommended for

The Ständige Impfkommission at the Robert Koch-Institut, Germany’s standing committee on vaccination, names these groups in its 2026 recommendation:

• people aged 60 and over
• pregnant women from the second trimester, or earlier if they have a pre-existing condition
• people with a chronic condition, for example of the airways, heart and circulation, liver or kidneys, and people with diabetes or a weakened immune system
• residents of care homes
• people who live with or care for someone in one of these groups
• people with a raised risk of infection at work, for example in nursing or in places with a lot of public contact
• people with regular direct contact with pigs, poultry, wild birds or seals, at work or in private

You can also be vaccinated if you are not in any of these groups. Ask the pharmacy or your doctor’s practice whether it makes sense for you.

When to have the vaccination

The usual time is October to mid-December. According to the Robert Koch-Institut, protection takes about ten to fourteen days to build up.

A later vaccination can still make sense while flu viruses circulate, since no one knows in advance how long a wave will last. The vaccination is given again every season, because the vaccine is adapted each year to the viruses in circulation.

What the vaccination costs

For the recommended groups, your statutory health insurer pays, with no co-payment. Annex 1 of the Schutzimpfungs-Richtlinie, the vaccination directive of the Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, lists exactly which groups those are.

Otherwise you normally pay yourself, although some insurers refund the vaccination voluntarily. Each pharmacy sets its own price, so ask there before your appointment.