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

Source: CDC website Technical content reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Immunization Action Coalition Saint Paul, Minnesota t 651- 647- 9009 t www.immunize.org t www.vaccineinformation.org
www.immunize.org/catg.d/p3085.pdf t Item #P3085 (6/16)