Vaccinations can reduce the risk of serious infectious diseases by exposing the body to pathogens early on so that it learns to recognise them. That is why vaccinations are one of the most important precautions you should take to protect yourself and others – even if you hate needles. An overview.
The history of vaccination is not one for the faint-hearted. It begins back in the late 18th century, when a British doctor tried to protect a child against smallpox by inserting pus from a woman infected with cowpox into cuts on his skin. When the child came into contact with smallpox some weeks later, he remained healthy.
Smallpox was one of the most feared diseases at that time, with a mortality rate of between 20% and 40%. The success of this procedure gave us an initial understanding of how the human body can be specifically immunised against dangerous pathogens.
This example shows that while infectious diseases can be very serious, sometimes even life-threatening, vaccination significantly reduces the risk, providing effective protection against many of them.
Why it makes sense to get vaccinated
When a vaccine is administered, your immune system encounters part of the pathogen or information about it. This allows your body to develop an immune response. If you subsequently come into contact with the pathogen, your immune system can react faster and more effectively. After a vaccination, you may experience temporary symptoms such as pain at the injection site, fever, aching limbs or tiredness. These are signs that your immune system has been activated and is responding to the vaccine.
For some contagious diseases, having a high vaccination rate in the population helps to limit their spread; this is known as herd immunity. The more people are vaccinated against diseases that are transmitted from person to person, the less prevalent these diseases become in society, because the pathogens are unable to spread. The best-known example is smallpox.
Stay protected with routine and additional vaccinations
The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH; page available in German, French and Italian only) recommends certain routine vaccinations that make an important contribution to protecting one’s own health and that of the general public. Others are deployed in a more targeted fashion to cover individual risks and ensure self-protection. Depending on the pathogen, the vaccine may be part of a combined vaccine, where a single injection protects against multiple infectious diseases at once. One example is the DTPa vaccination, which protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) in one.
Routine vaccinations under the vaccination schedule
Babies, children and adolescents
To protect the body against potentially dangerous diseases as early as possible, most vaccinations are given in childhood or adolescence.
Adults
Adults aged 25 to 65 usually only need boosters for routine vaccinations and to catch up on any that they may have missed.
Travellers
For travellers, additional vaccinations such as yellow fever, rabies, typhoid or hepatitis A may also be useful depending on their destination, form of travel, age and length of stay. This is not an exhaustive list of available travel vaccinations.
Pregnant women
The current recommendation is that pregnant women should be vaccinated against Covid-19, influenza and whooping cough in the winter months. The RSV vaccination is also advisable if the child is due to be born in the colder months of the year, specifically between October and March; it is given to the mother between the 32nd and 36th weeks of pregnancy.
If the baby has an estimated delivery date between April and September, they may receive a dose of nirsevimab antibodies from October onwards. Babies are especially vulnerable and prone to infections in the first six months of life.
Senior citizens
Comprehensive vaccination coverage is particularly important for older people, as the risk of severe disease progression increases with age. Older adults should make sure they are up to date with their routine vaccinations according to the vaccination schedule, and should catch up on any vaccinations they have missed.
«It is important to me to provide clear and honest advice on vaccinations, enabling people to make informed decisions that benefit both themselves and the wider community.»
Supplementary vaccinations under the vaccination schedule Babies, children and adolescents
Babies, children and adolescents
Senior citizens
The information is accurate as at June 2026. Please note that recommendations are subject to change at any time. You can find further information on the Federal Office of Public Health website.
