Overview
- The online survey questioned about 5,450 adults in October 2025 through the RKI’s “Gesundheit in Deutschland” panel.
- Around 80% consider vaccination a sensible preventive measure, and over 60% trust regulators to approve only safe and effective vaccines.
- Many participants overestimate side effects and are unsure about debunked claims linking vaccines to autism or allergies, with uncertainty highest among those reporting lower health literacy.
- Self-reported uptake at the start of the current season was low, with about 17.6% vaccinated against influenza and about 3% against COVID-19.
- Researchers and outside experts recommend tailored, plain-language communication and plan to use IMPRESS as an annual monitor to design interventions, noting potential limits from online sampling and self-selection.