Influenza (flu)

Flu in Berlin, the doctor's house call within the first 48 hours

Influenza is not a trivial cold. It typically begins within hours: fever above 38.5 °C, marked malaise, headache and muscle pain, often a dry irritating cough, and unusually intense fatigue. During the Berlin flu season (December through March) we see this pattern daily, in Mitte, Charlottenburg, Pankow and Steglitz-Zehlendorf alike, in pre-war apartments, hotel rooms and homes on the edge of the city. The flu wave itself peaks across the winter months, while the first cold season sets in as early as autumn with the return to school and daycare; in both seasonal peaks our house-call volume rises noticeably.

The house call carries clear medical value in the first 48 hours after symptom onset. The antiviral medication oseltamivir works best when started early; the early clinical assessment at home enables the treatment decision within this 48-hour window. At the same time we spare you the crowded waiting room and reduce the risk of infecting other patients while febrile, or picking up a secondary infection yourself.

What our doctor does on a flu visit

The visit begins with a structured history: onset and course, comorbidities, vaccination status, medication. A physical examination follows, auscultation of the lungs, inspection of throat and tympanic membranes, palpation of lymph nodes, temperature and oxygen saturation. A COVID-19 rapid test, supplemented by an RSV rapid test when clinically indicated, yields a result in around 15 minutes where it changes management. On the basis of the clinical examination and this targeted confirmation, the physician then discusses the therapeutic decision with you.

Flu or common cold, the key differences

A cold builds up slowly over several days with sore throat, runny nose and mild malaise; adults average two to four such upper respiratory infections per year, and the vast majority resolve within a week without antibiotics. Influenza begins abruptly, often within an hour, with fever, marked weakness and muscle pain. Symptom pattern alone, however, does not reliably separate influenza, RSV and COVID-19, and even experienced clinicians regularly get this wrong. Where confirmation would change management, for antiviral eligibility or in higher-risk patients, the physician arranges PCR or lab testing; a negative rapid antigen test does not rule out influenza, per the Robert Koch Institute. Caution is warranted when a cold worsens again after initial improvement: this second-wave illness can signal a bacterial superinfection such as pneumonia, sinusitis or otitis media and should be assessed medically.

How the house call works

You call our Berlin number or send a brief callback request via WhatsApp. We clarify the essentials within minutes: symptoms, address, comorbidities, insurance. We then dispatch the next available physician. We are usually on site within 60 to 90 minutes; evenings and weekends often see shorter arrival times.

During the visit we take time for history and examination. On a clinical diagnosis of influenza we issue prescriptions as needed (oseltamivir, antipyretics, cough suppressants) and point you to an open pharmacy nearby. We can issue a sick-leave certificate where applicable. A careful safety-net briefing on when to call us again or to seek emergency care is always part of the visit.

Billing and insurance

Our service is aimed at privately insured patients and self-payers. We bill according to the German private medical fee schedule (GOÄ) via our Privatärztliche Verrechnungsstelle (private medical billing service). The invoice itemises every service (house call, examination, any administered medication) separately. German private health insurance and civil-servant Beihilfe schemes typically reimburse these positions in full.

For international guests we issue the invoice in English on request. Most travel health insurers accept the GOÄ-compliant invoice; in individual cases our back office supports you with additional medical explanations. We remain reachable by phone for billing questions after the visit.