German health minister urges Covid and flu vaccinations

German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach urged people to get their seasonal flu and coronavirus vaccinations on Wednesday, shortly after receiving the jabs himself in Berlin.

"We already have a lot of coronavirus infections. Levels are currently rising in wastewater monitoring, so vaccination makes sense," Lauterbach said.

"This is very important, highly recommended," he added.

Severe cases are still a risk, especially for older people, he said.

The minister stressed that repeated coronavirus infections also increase the risk for developing Long Covid, a condition where symptoms persist for a long period after the infection.

"The coronavirus is therefore still not a completely harmless disease. Especially people who are older or have underlying illnesses should be vaccinated," said Lauterbach.

He referred to recommendations from Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccination.

Influenza is also sometimes very severe in older people, and Lauterbach also said that the vaccinations had "positive side effects."

For example, the flu vaccination has also been shown to reduce slightly the risk of strokes and heart attacks, according to the minister.