Germany Resets Meningococcal and Shingles Vaccination Rules Ahead of 2026
Germany is preparing for a significant recalibration of its national vaccination strategy after the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) formally incorporated updated recommendations from the Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) into its vaccination guidelines. The changes, expected to take effect in February 2026, redefine eligibility for both meningococcal disease and herpes zoster (shingles) vaccinations, with implications for pediatric schedules, adult risk-based immunization, and statutory health insurance coverage.
The amended guidelines will now be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health for legal review. If no objections are raised, they will enter into force following publication in the Federal Gazette, making them binding for reimbursement under Germany’s statutory health insurance system (GKV).
What You Need To Know
- Meningococcal ACWY vaccination shifts from infants to adolescents
- MenB infant vaccination schedule remains unchanged
- Shingles vaccination expands to high-risk adults starting at age 18
- STIKO recommendations trigger statutory insurance reimbursement
The most notable change affects protection against meningococcal disease. Based on updated epidemiological data on age-dependent serogroup distribution, STIKO now recommends routine vaccination against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y for all children and adolescents aged 12 to 14 years. Catch-up vaccination is permitted up to 24 years of age, including for individuals previously vaccinated against these serogroups.
At the same time, STIKO has withdrawn its earlier recommendation for meningococcal serogroup C vaccination in infants at 12 months, citing a revised scientific risk assessment. This marks a clear pivot away from infant immunization toward adolescent protection, aligning vaccination timing more closely with observed disease burden.
Importantly, the meningococcal serogroup B recommendation remains unchanged. Infants are still advised to receive MenB vaccination early in life, following a schedule at 2, 4, and 12 months, reflecting the continued clinical relevance of this serogroup in early childhood.
STIKO has also revised its guidance for herpes zoster vaccination, significantly lowering the age threshold for certain populations. Vaccination is now recommended starting at 18 years of age for individuals with an increased risk of shingles, replacing the previous recommendation that began at age 50.
Increased risk is defined to include congenital or acquired immunodeficiency and severe chronic underlying conditions, such as malignant cancers, HIV infection, and rheumatoid arthritis. At the same time, STIKO explicitly excludes adults aged 18 to 59 with mild, uncomplicated, or well-controlled chronic diseases, concluding that these individuals do not face a sufficiently elevated risk to justify vaccination.
The standard shingles vaccination recommendation for all adults aged 60 and older remains unchanged, reflecting the steep rise in severe disease and postherpetic neuralgia with advancing age.
Under German law, a STIKO recommendation is a prerequisite for inclusion of a vaccine in the GKV benefits catalog. Once STIKO publishes its guidance, the G-BA has two months to define the scope of reimbursement in the vaccination guidelines. With the updated recommendations now adopted by the G-BA, both vaccine access and payer obligations are expected to adjust accordingly across pediatric and adult populations.
Related news
Netherlands Moves to Cut Mental Health Wait Times for 2026
STIKO published its updated meningococcal vaccination recommendation on October 30, 2025 (Epidemiological Bulletin 44/2025), followed by the herpes zoster recommendation on November 6, 2025 (Bulletin 45/2025). The Robert Koch Institute has released additional scientific context and implementation guidance.
Together, the changes signal a more risk-stratified, data-driven vaccination policy, emphasizing age-specific epidemiology and clinical vulnerability rather than broad age-based coverage alone.
