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
Hepatitis B (HepB) ≤19 yrs: 0.5 mL Infants (1–12 mos) ⅝"
thigh muscle
Persons 11–15 yrs may be given Recombivax HB (Merck) IM
1.0 mL adult formulation on a 2-dose schedule. ≥20 yrs: 1.0 mL Fatty tissue over anterolateral
Children 12 mos or older,
Human papillomavirus (HPV) 0.5 mL IM ⅝" thigh muscle or fatty tissue
adolescents, and adults
over triceps
0.2 mL (0.1 mL in Intranasal
Influenza, live attenuated (LAIV) Intramuscular (IM) injection
each nostril) spray
6–35 mos: 0.25 mL Use a 22–25 gauge needle. Choose the injection site and needle length that
Influenza, inactivated (IIV); recombinant is appropriate to the person’s age and body mass.
IM
(RIV), for ages 18 years and older ≥3 yrs: 0.5 mL
age needle injection site
Influenza (IIV) Fluzone Intradermal,
0.1 mL ID length
for ages 18 through 64 years
Newborns (1st 28 days) ⅝" Anterolateral thigh muscle
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 0.5 mL Subcut
Infants (1–12 mos) 1" Anterolateral thigh muscle
Meningococcal conjugate
0.5 mL IM 1–1¼" Anterolateral thigh muscle
(MCV4 [MenACWY]) Toddlers (1–2 years)
Meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) 0.5 mL IM ⅝–1” Deltoid muscle of arm

Meningococcal polysaccharide (MPSV) 0.5 mL Subcut Children and teens ⅝–1"* Deltoid muscle of arm
(3–18 years) 1–1¼” Anterolateral thigh muscle
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) 0.5 mL IM
IM or Adults 19 years or older
Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV) 0.5 mL
Subcut Female or male <130 lbs ⅝–1"* Deltoid muscle of arm
IM or Female or male 130–152 lbs 1" Deltoid muscle of arm
Polio, inactivated (IPV) 0.5 mL
Subcut
Female 153–200 lbs
Rotarix: 1.0 mL 1–1½" Deltoid muscle of arm
Male 130–260 lbs
Rotavirus (RV) Oral
Rotateq: 2.0 mL Female 200+ lbs
1½" Deltoid muscle of arm
Varicella (Var) 0.5 mL Subcut Male 260+ lbs
Zoster (Zos) 0.65 mL Subcut * A 5/8" needle may be used for patients note: Always refer to the package insert included
Combination Vaccines weighing less than 130 lbs (<60 kg) for with each biologic for complete vaccine administration
IM injection in the deltoid muscle only information. CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization
DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix) if the skin stretched tight, the subcuta- Practices (ACIP) recommendations for the particular
DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel) neous tissue is not bunched, and the
vaccine should be reviewed as well. Access the ACIP
DTaP-IPV (Kinrix; Quadracel) 0.5 mL IM injection is made at a 90-degree angle.
recommendations at www.immunize.org/acip.
Hib-HepB (Comvax)
Hib-MenCY (MenHibrix)
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 (6/16)