
Flu and Cold Season 2026/27 in Germany: What Expats Should Know
German health experts warn the 2026/27 flu season may arrive earlier than expected, with rising SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels and many at-risk groups unprotected.
🏥 The Section
Health insurance, Krankenversicherung and the German healthcare system.

German health experts warn the 2026/27 flu season may arrive earlier than expected, with rising SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels and many at-risk groups unprotected.

Coronavirus is still circulating in winter 2026. Find out which variants are active and who qualifies for a COVID vaccine in Germany this season.

Germany has recorded its first-ever Sindbis virus case, according to the Robert Koch Institut. The mosquito-borne virus usually causes mild illness.

Germany is reforming its long-term care insurance system. Workers, carers and patients will all be affected. Here's what expats should understand about the changes.

The German coalition has agreed on a draft elder care reform law focused on savings. Here's what it could mean for expats paying into the care insurance system.

Germany's coalition is struggling to agree on how to fix the long-term care system's funding gap. Here's what this could mean for expats and immigrants.

Germany's coalition is clashing over a care reform. The SPD wants a cost cap; Health Minister Linnemann disagrees. Here's what may change for residents.

The SPD wants to cap what individuals pay out of pocket for nursing home care in Germany, with an internal document showing how a 'Pflegedeckel' could reduce personal contributions.

The SPD is blocking Germany's planned Pflegeversicherung reform, threatening to stall cabinet proceedings. Here's what expats and workers need to know.

Chancellor Merz's remarks about Germany's statutory and private health insurance have sparked a policy debate. Here is what it could mean for expats enrolled in either system.

Chancellor Merz has called Germany's dual health insurance system a 'fairness problem'. Here's what the debate could mean for expats navigating Krankenversicherung.

The summer of 2026 broke heat records across Europe, with more than 16,000 heat-related deaths recorded in Germany alone. Here's what residents should know.

Health Minister Linnemann wants to restore the rule requiring public insurers to notify members before hiking contributions — good news for expats on German public health insurance.

A summer malaria outbreak at Frankfurt Airport alarmed health experts. Specialists say the risk is now low as autumn begins, but the case highlights unusual health risks near major hubs.

A third malaria death has been linked to Frankfurt Airport. Two new cases emerged this week in the area, two months after the initial outbreak was first reported.

A person near Frankfurt Airport has died from malaria without having traveled to a malaria region. A second case was also reported in the same area.

Germany's latest news covers GP shortages entering the election debate, new school readiness tests for four-year-olds in Rhineland-Palatinate, and Deutsche Bahn slowing its modernisation drive.

Germany's public Krankenkassen may lose significant sums due to risky real estate investments, the federal government has warned. Here's what it could mean for your health cover.

Doctors warn that Germany's planned health insurance reform in 2027 could make gynaecology appointments harder to access, affecting pregnant patients and those planning a family.

Syphilis and gonorrhoea cases have reached new EU records. Here is what this means for your health and how Germany's health system can help.

Two Frankfurt Airport workers have died after a rare local malaria cluster. Here is what happened and what to watch for if you work or travel through the airport.

Europe logged over 30,000 excess summer deaths from heatwaves. Expats in Germany should know the health risks, who is most vulnerable, and how to stay safe.

Germany's record wildfires are leaving psychological scars. Psychologists say PTSD from natural disasters is serious but treatable — here's how expats can find help.

Germany recorded at least 14,000 heat-related deaths in 2025, more than any prior year. Experts demand stronger prevention — here's what expats need to know.