Vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccination

You can find all information about SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations for children here.

TBE vaccination

Who should be vaccinated?

Children from 6 years of age in risk areas—i.e., in almost all areas of Switzerland. Recommended from the age of 3, especially for children who frequently spend time in forests and meadows, such as those in forest kindergartens. Vaccination is also recommended for adults, especially from the age of 50.

How does the vaccination work?

We will advise you on the vaccination and answer all your questions. Then your child will be briefly examined to rule out any illness.

We administer vaccinations with your child comfortably seated on your lap or in your arms. More confident children may choose to sit independently. The skin area, usually the upper arm, is briefly disinfected. This is followed by a small prick, then a plaster on the injection site.

At the end, your child will, of course, be allowed to choose something from our treasure chest.

How many vaccinations are necessary for protection against TBE?

Your child will be well protected against TBE from as early as their second vaccination. This is usually administered after 4 weeks. You can also opt for an accelerated schedule, with the second vaccination being administered after just two weeks. A third booster vaccination is then administered after 5–12 months.

What side effects may I notice?

The TBE vaccination is usually very well tolerated. Occasionally, your child's arm may hurt for 1–2 days after the vaccination, as if the muscle was sore. The area can also turn red or develop a small bruise. Other side effects, such as headache, fever, muscle pain, restlessness or dizziness, are rare.

Do I need to book an appointment for my child's vaccination?

You are welcome to book an appointment by phone directly at our locations or via our contact form. In urgent cases, you can usually visit without an appointment.

Do I have to pay for the vaccination?

For patients in risk areas, the costs for the vaccination are covered by compulsory health insurance.

Influenza vaccination

Who should be vaccinated?

Vaccination against influenza is recommended for individuals who suffer from increased risk of complications from the flu:

  • Premature babies from the age of 6 months for the first two winters after birth
  • Pregnant women and women who have given birth in the past 4 weeks
  • People with one of the following chronic diseases: heart disease; lung disease; metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes or severe obesity, BMI ≥ 40); neurological or musculoskeletal disease affecting heart, lung or kidney functions; liver disease; renal insufficiency; absence or dysfunction of the spleen; immunodeficiency (incl. HIV infection, cancer or immunosuppressive therapy)

When:

  • October, early November

For whom is the vaccine not recommended?

  • Infants under 6 months
  • People with allergies to vaccine components or egg proteins; (Exception: The Optaflu® vaccine can be used by individuals with egg allergies)
  • In case of fever or acute infections, postponing the vaccination is recommended.

What are the vaccination's possible side effects?

  • Reactions on the injection site such as pain and redness often occur, but are harmless and usually disappear within one to two days.
  • Around 5% of vaccinated subjects experience systemic reactions such as fever, muscle pain or malaise.
  • Very rarely (1 case in every 100,000 vaccinated), neurological disorders or severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) can occur. Guillain-Barré syndrome has been reported in one in a million vaccinations.

The probability of experiencing serious adverse reactions after vaccination is massively smaller than the risk of serious complications from flu.

Who pays for the vaccination?

For individuals who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu, the cost of vaccination is covered by compulsory health insurance, as long as the deductible has already been reached.

Source: Federal Office of Public Health

RSV protection

Since 2024, a medication for immunization against RSV has been approved in Switzerland; this can prevent severe RSV infections. This is an antibody treatment that functions like a vaccination and is administered as a single injection at the start of the winter months. As they are antibodies, protection is immediate after administration. The body does not have to produce antibodies first, as is the case with a vaccination.

Who should be protected?

We recommend this immunization treatment for all infants born in April of the same year they experience their first winter. For children with heart defects, lung diseases, and similar conditions, the treatment is also recommended during their second winter.

When is the immunization administered?

The treatment is administered starting in October and provides protection against severe RSV infection for the entire remaining winter. In other countries, this has reduced the risk of serious RSV infections by 80%.

Who pays the costs for this?

The costs are covered by health insurance.