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(Egyptian Edition)

"Everything you need to know about

vaccines in Egypt"

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HCP · Clinical FAQ · Egypt

Administering Vaccines

Technique & workflow

Routes, sites, needle selection, and safe vaccine administration.

Content added: NOVEMBER 29, 2025

Last updated: JUNE 04, 2026

The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are adapted from the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and have been tailored to align with the vaccination schedule and practices in Egypt.

49 questions — use search or expand items below. Content is in English (LTR).

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Q1I was recently told by a colleague that pregnant healthcare personnel were not to administer live vaccines to others. I had never heard that in school or practice. Is that true?▾

Q2Why are some vaccinations given subcutaneously (subcut) while others must be given intramuscularly (IM)?▾

Q3A 5-year-old came in today for her preschool vaccines. She needed MMR and varicella. She has a broken arm which is in a cast. Can the anterolateral thigh be used to administer a subcutaneous vaccine in a 5-year-old?▾

Q4I have a 2-month-old child with a cast for hip dysplasia that completely covers the entire anterolateral thigh on both legs. She is not due to have it removed for 10 weeks. What options do we have for her injectable vaccines?▾

Q5I need information about the administration of vaccines to 3-month-old conjoined twins (joined at the buttocks). For their routine immunization, do we provide one set of vaccinations or two, given that they are conjoined at the buttock but share no major organs?▾

Q6If I need to give more than 1 injection in a muscle, are certain vaccines best given at different anatomic sites?▾

Q7How many vaccines can be given during an office visit?▾

Q8A 5-year-old is in the office for vaccines and is due for MMR, polio, varicella, and DTaP. Is there a specific order I should be giving these vaccines?▾

Q9Do we need to wait for the vaccine to reach room temperature before we administer it to a patient?▾

Q10What is the acceptable volume for a single dose of immune globulin (IG) to inject into the deltoid muscle or the vastus lateralis (thigh) of a normal-weight adult?▾

Q11If all needed vaccines aren't administered during the same visit, does one need to wait a certain period of time before administering the other needed vaccines?▾

Q12What does "simultaneous administration" of vaccines mean? Does it mean the same day, hour, or what?▾

Q13Some manufacturers' package inserts state that a vaccine should be used immediately after reconstitution. In the context of reconstitution and administration of vaccines, how does CDC define "immediately"?▾

Q14We have a nurse in one of our clinics who gave separate doses of hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine in the gluteus of our adult patients. Are the doses considered invalid? If so, when can a valid dose be administered?▾

Q15We received a report of an infant who received rotavirus vaccine intramuscularly rather than orally. Is this dose valid? If not, when should it be repeated?▾

Q16Is it safe to give a vaccine directly into an area where there is a tattoo?▾

Q17Do you need to aspirate before giving a vaccination?▾

Q18While giving an injection, a nurse had blood return in the syringe upon aspirating. What should she have done with the vaccine?▾

Q19Is it necessary to wear gloves when we administer vaccinations?▾

Q20Is protective eyewear needed for those who administer vaccines so they can avoid blood spatter?▾

Q21Some single-dose manufacturer-filled vaccines come with an air pocket in the syringe chamber. Do we need to expel the air pocket before vaccinating?▾

Q22I've seen the recommendation stating air bubbles in manufacturer-filled syringes do not need to be expelled. Can you explain why those air bubbles can be injected but air bubbles in user-filled syringes must be expelled?▾

Q23If a patient is not able to receive rotavirus vaccine orally, can we give it through a G-tube?▾

Q24If the lymph nodes under a patient's arm were surgically removed, should we avoid giving vaccines in that arm?▾

Q25What are the special recommendations for administering intramuscular injections in people with clotting disorders?▾

Q26Is it okay to draw up vaccines at the beginning of the shift? If it isn't, how much in advance can this be done?▾

Q27If you place a needle on a manufacturer-filled syringe (MFS) and then don't administer the vaccine, how long can you store the syringe with the needle attached?▾

Q28My nurse removed the protective cap from a preservative-free single dose vial (SDV), but the vial was not used. How long can we keep the SDV after we remove the protective cap?▾

Q29Is it necessary to allow alcohol to dry completely on a patient's skin prior to injection?▾

Q30I know that it is advisable to clean the vaccine vial stopper with an alcohol wipe after removing the protective cap from a vaccine or diluent vial. Do you have to wait for the alcohol to dry before you insert the needle into the stopper?▾

Q31Some single dose vials (SDV) contain more than the recommended dosage of the vaccine. Should we administer the recommended dose of the vaccine, or the entire contents of the vial even if it contains more than the recommended dose?▾

Q32A 2009 article in The Lancet reported that infants who received 3 doses of paracetamol following immunization had reduced immune responses to certain vaccines. Based on these findings, should we stop recommending acetaminophen for fever or discomfort after infant immunizations?▾

Q34Are vaccine diluents interchangeable?▾

Q35Is it recommended to change needles after a vaccine dose has been drawn into a syringe?▾

Q36When patients need multiple vaccines (such as influenza and pneumococcal), can we just combine them in the same syringe?▾

Q37The needle came loose while I was injecting a dose of vaccine, and approximately half the dose was lost. Should we revaccinate the patient? If so, when?▾

Q38If a patient pulls away during administration of a vaccine and the needle comes out, is it okay to reintroduce the same needle and finish the injection?▾

Q39What should we do if a dose of expired vaccine is given to a patient?▾

Q40What should we do if we give an injection by the wrong route (subcutaneous [subcut], instead of intramuscular [IM])?▾

Q41One of our staff gave a dose of pediatric hepatitis A vaccine to an adult patient by mistake. How do we remedy this error?▾

Q42A dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was administered into my patient's dialysis port. Does this dose count?▾

Q43A 2-month-old patient was mistakenly given PPSV23. What should be done?▾

Q44We inadvertently gave both pneumococcal conjugate (PCV) and pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV) vaccines to a high-risk adult patient at the same visit. We are looking for guidance.▾

Q45A 60-year-old patient was inadvertently given varicella vaccine instead of Shingrix zoster vaccine. Should the patient still be given Shingrix? If so, how long an interval should occur between the 2 doses?▾

Q46If Shingrix recombinant zoster vaccine is erroneously given to a child for prevention of varicella, the dose is invalid, but is there a waiting period before a valid dose of varicella vaccine can be given? Is it OK to give a dose of varicella vaccine as soon as the error is discovered?▾

Q47While giving a dose of Shingrix the syringe came loose from the needle and part of the dose was lost. Will the patient be protected with this partial dose or does it need to be repeated?▾

Q48My medical assistant inadvertently administered a 0.5 mL dose of the Shingrix recombinant zoster vaccine diluent only. The dose did not contain any antigen. When can we administer a properly reconstituted dose?▾

Q49Several doses (antigen and diluent) of Shingrix recombinant zoster vaccine were mistakenly stored in our office freezer. One of these doses was administered to a patient. Is this dose valid and if not, when can it be repeated?▾

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