Prevnar Dosage

The standard recommended dosage of Prevnar is 0.5 mL injected intramuscularly (into a muscle). Although there are ideally four doses, the vaccine schedule will vary depending on the child's age at the first vaccination. The first dosage can be given as early as six weeks of age, and there should be at least four to eight weeks in between the doses.

Prevnar Vaccine Information

Prevnar Dosage: An Introduction

There is only one standard dosage for Prevnar^® (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine), although the vaccine schedule may vary, depending on the age of the child at the first dose.

Preferred Prevnar Schedule

The standard Prevnar dosing is 0.5 mL injected intramuscularly (into a muscle). For infants, the thigh is usually chosen, while the upper arm is generally preferred for toddlers or older children. The ideal vaccination schedule for Prevnar is as follows:

1st dose -- 2 months old
2nd dose -- 4 months old
3rd dose -- 6 months old
4th dose -- 12 to 15 months old.

The first dosage can be given as early as six weeks of age, and there should be at least four to eight weeks in between the doses. The fourth dosage should be given at least two months after the third dosage.

Delayed Prevnar Schedule

Children vaccinated as infants will be protected when they are at the highest risk for serious illness from pneumococcal disease. However, some parents prefer to delay vaccinations.

The officially recommended delayed vaccination schedule for Prevnar depends on the age of the child at their first Prevnar vaccination. For infants 7 to 11 months old at first vaccination, three dosages are given, at least four weeks apart. The third dosage should be given after the first birthday and at least two months after the second dosing.

For children 12 to 23 months old at first vaccination, two dosages are given at least two months apart.

For children age 24 months to 9 years old, a single dosage is given.

(Prevnar Dosage Continued: Page 2)