Administering Vaccines:

Dose, Route, Site, and Needle Size

Vaccine Dose Route Injection Site and Needle Size
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis Subcutaneous (Subcut) injection
0.5 mL. . IM ..
(DTaP, DT, Tdap, Td) Use a 23–25 gauge needle. Choose the injection site that is appropriate to
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) 0.5 mL IM the person’s age and body mass.
≤18 yrs: 0.5 mL age Needle injection site
Hepatitis A (HepA) IM length
≥19 yrs: 1.0 mL
Fatty tissue over anterolateral
≤19 yrs: 0.5 mL Infants (1–12 mos) ⅝"
thigh muscle
Hepatitis B (HepB) Heplisav-B
Persons 11–15 yrs may be given Recombivax HB (Merck) ≥18 yrs: 0.5 mL IM Fatty tissue over anterolateral
Children 12 mos or older,
1.0 mL adult formulation on a 2-dose schedule. ⅝" thigh muscle or fatty tissue
Recombivax HB; Engerix-B adolescents, and adults
>20 yrs: 1.0 mL over triceps
Human papillomavirus (HPV) 0.5 mL IM Intramuscular (IM) injection
0.2 mL (0.1 mL in Intrana- Use a 22–25 gauge needle. Choose the injection site and needle length that
Influenza, live attenuated (LAIV) is appropriate to the person’s age and body mass.
each nostril) sal spray
Fluzone: 0.25 mL age needle injection site
Influenza, inactivated (IIV); for ages length
FluLaval; Fluarix: IM
6–35 months Newborns (1st 28 days) ⅝" Anterolateral thigh muscle
0.5 mL
Influenza, inactivated (IIV), for ages 3 Infants (1–12 mos) 1" Anterolateral thigh muscle
years & older; recombinant (RIV), for 0.5 mL IM 1–1¼" Anterolateral thigh muscle
ages 18 years and older Toddlers (1–2 years)
⅝–1" Deltoid muscle of arm
Influenza (IIV) Fluzone Intradermal,
0.1 mL ID ⅝–1"* Deltoid muscle of arm
for ages 18 through 64 years Children
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 0.5 mL Subcut (3–10 years) 1–1¼" Anterolateral thigh muscle
Meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, Y Adolescents and teens ⅝–1"* Deltoid muscle of arm
0.5 mL IM
(MenACWY) (11–18 years) 1–1½" Anterolateral thigh muscle
Meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) 0.5 mL IM Adults 19 years or older
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) 0.5 mL IM Female or male <130 lbs ⅝–1"* Deltoid muscle of arm
IM or Female or male 130–152 lbs 1" Deltoid muscle of arm
Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV) 0.5 mL
Subcut
Female 153–200 lbs
IM or 1–1½" Deltoid muscle of arm
Polio, inactivated (IPV) 0.5 mL Male 153–260 lbs
Subcut
Rotarix: 1.0 mL Female 200+ lbs
1½" Deltoid muscle of arm
Rotavirus (RV) Oral Male 260+ lbs
Rotateq: 2.0 mL
Varicella (Var) 0.5 mL Subcut * A 5/8" needle may be used for patients note: Always refer to the package insert included
Shingrix: 0.5 mL IM weighing less than 130 lbs (<60 kg) for with each biologic for complete vaccine administration
Zoster (Zos) IM injection in the deltoid muscle only information. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization
Zostavax: 0.65 mL Subcut if the skin stretched tight, the subcuta- Practices (ACIP) recommendations for the particular
Combination Vaccines neous tissue is not bunched, and the
vaccine should be reviewed as well. Access the ACIP
injection is made at a 90-degree angle.
DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix) recommendations at www.immunize.org/acip.
DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel) 0.5 mL IM
DTaP-IPV (Kinrix; Quadracel)
MMRV (ProQuad) ≤12 yrs: 0.5 mL Subcut
HepA-HepB (Twinrix) ≥18 yrs: 1.0 mL IM

Intramuscular (IM) injection Subcutaneous (Subcut) injection Intradermal (ID) administration Intranasal (NAS) administration
of Fluzone ID vaccine of Flumist (LAIV) vaccine
90° angle
90° angle 45° angle
Administer
skin skin in area
subcutaneous tissue of deltoid
subcutaneous tissue

muscle muscle

Technical content reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Immunization Action Coalition Saint Paul, Minnesota • 651- 647- 9009 • www.immunize.org • www.vaccineinformation.org
www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3085.pdf • Item #P3085 (1/18)