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Appendices

The following text is from an archived Red Book® edition and may not reflect current recommendations or information. To view the current edition, click here.

Section 1. Active and Passive Immunization

ACTIVE IMMUNIZATION

Vaccine Administration

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PERSONS ADMINISTERING VACCINES
SITE AND ROUTE OF IMMUNIZATION (ACTIVE AND PASSIVE)

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GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PERSONS ADMINISTERING VACCINES

Personnel administering vaccines should take appropriate precautions to minimize the risk of spread of disease to or from patients. Such personnel should have evidence of immunity or be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B, and influenza, as well as tetanus and diphtheria. Hands should be washed before and after each new patient contact. Gloves are not required when administering vaccines unless the health care worker has open hand lesions or will come into contact with potentially infectious body fluids. Syringes and needles must be sterile and preferably disposable. To prevent accidental needle sticks or reuse, a needle should not be recapped after use, and disposable needles and syringes should be discarded promptly in puncture-proof, labeled containers. Changing needles between drawing the vaccine into the syringe and injecting it into the child generally is not necessary. Different vaccines should not be mixed in the same syringe unless specifically licensed and labeled for such use.

Because of possible hypersensitivity to vaccine components, persons administering vaccines or other biologic products should be prepared to recognize and treat allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis (see Hypersensitivity Reactions to Vaccine Constituents, p 35). Facilities and personnel should be available for treating immediate hypersensitivity reactions. This recommendation does not preclude administration of vaccines in school-based or other nonclinic settings. Whenever possible, patients should be observed for an allergic reaction for 15 to 20 minutes after receiving immunization(s).

Syncope may occur after immunization, particularly in adolescents and young adults. Personnel should be aware of presyncopal manifestations and take appropriate measures to prevent injuries if weakness, dizziness, or loss of consciousness occurs. The relatively rapid . . . [Go to Full Text]