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For Children and Adolescents Who Start Late or Who Are More Than 1 Month Behind

The tables below give catch-up schedules and minimum intervals between doses for children who have delayed immunizations. There is no need to restart a vaccine series regardless of the time that has elapsed between doses. Use the chart appropriate for the child's age.


Catch-up schedule for children age 4 months through 6 years
Dose 1 Minimum Age to Begin Vaccine Series Minimum Interval Between Dose 1 and Dose 2 Minimum Interval Between Dose 2 and Dose 3

Minimum Interval Between Dose 3

and Dose 4

 Minimum Interval Between Dose 4 and Dose 5
DTaP Dose 1 at 6 weeks DTaP: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. DTaP: 4 week interval needed between dose 2 and dose 3. DTaP: 6 month interval needed between dose 3 and dose 4. DTaP: 6 months interval between dose 4 and dose 5. See footnote 1
IPV Dose 1 at 6 weeks IPV: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. IPV: 4 week interval needed between dose 2 and dose 3. IPV: 4 week interval needed between dose 3 and dose 4. See footnote 2
Hep B 3 Dose 1 at birth Hep B 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. Hep B: 8 week interval needed between dose 2 and dose 3, and dose 3 should follow at least 16 weeks after first dose.  
MMR Dose 1 at 12 months MMR: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. See footnote 4    
Varicella Dose 1 at 12 months
Hib 5 Dose 1 at 6 weeks

Hib: If first dose given at age less than 12 months, 4 week interval between doses.


If first dose given at age 12 to 14 months, 8 week interval between doses, this dose is final dose.


If first dose given at age greater than 15 months, no further doses needed.

Hib: If current age less than 12 months, interval between doses 2 and 3 is 4 weeks6.

If current age greater than 12 months and second dose given at age less than 15 month, third dose follows in 8 weeks, as final dose6.

If previous dose is given at age greater than 15 months, no further doses are needed.

 Hib: This dose is only necessary for children age 12 months to 5 years who received 3 doses before the age of 12 months. Interval between dose 3 and 4 is 8 weeks, and this dose is as final dose.
PCV 7 Dose 1 at 6 weeks

PCV: If first dose is given at age less than 12 months and current age of child is greater than 24 months, 4 week interval is needed.


If first dose is given at age greater than 12 months or current age is 24 to 59 months, 8 week interval is needed and this is final dose.


For healthy children, if first dose is given at age greater than 24 months, no further doses are needed.

PCV: If current age less than 12 months, 4 week interval is needed between dose 2 and dose 3.

If current age greater than 12 months, 8 week interval is needed and this does is final dose.


No further doses needed: For healthy children, if previous dose (dose 2) is given at age greater than 24 months, no further dose is needed. .

 PCV: This dose is only necessary for children age 12 months to 5 years who received 3 doses before age 12 months. An 8-week interval between dose 4 and dose 4 is needed, and this dose (dose 4) is final dose.


Catch-up schedule for children age 7 through 18 years
Minimum Interval Between Dose 1 and Dose 2 Minimum Interval Between Dose 2 and Dose 3 Minimum Interval Between Dose 3 and Booster Dose
TD: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. TD: 6 month interval needed between dose 2 and dose 3. TD See footnote 8:
If first dose given at age less than 12 months and current age less than 11 years, 6-months interval is needed between dose 3 and booster dose.
If first dose is given at age greater than or equal to 12 months and third dose given at age less than 7 years and current age greater than or equal to 11 years, a 5 year interval is needed between dose 3 and booster dose.
If third dose is given at age greater than or equal to 7 years, a 10-year interval is needed between dose 3 and booster dose. .
IPV: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. See footnote 9. IPV: 4 week interval needed between dose 2 and dose 3. See footnote9.

IPV: See footnotes 2,9
Hep B: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2. Hep B: 8 week interval is needed between dose 2 and dose 3, and dose 3 should come at least 16 weeks after first dose.
MMR: 4 week interval needed between dose 1 and dose 2.  
Varicella: 4 weeks needed between dose 1 and dose 2. See footnote 10.  

Footnotes

1. DTaP: The fifth dose is not necessary if the fourth dose was given after the fourth birthday.

2. IPV: For children who received an all-IPV or all-oral poliovirus (OPV) series, a fourth dose is not necessary if third dose was given at age greater than or equal to 4 years. If both OPV and IPV were given as part of a series, a total of 4 doses should be given, regardless of the child's current age

3. HepB: All children and adolescents who have not been immunized against hepatitis B should begin the HepB immunization series during any visit. Providers should make special efforts to immunize children who were born in, or whose parents were born in, areas of the world where hepatitis B virus infection is moderately or highly endemic

4. MMR: The second dose of MMR is recommended routinely at age 4 to 6 years but may be given earlier if desired.

5. Hib: Vaccine is not generally recommended for children age greater than or equal to 5 years.

6. Hib: If current age of child is less than 12 months and the first 2 doses were PRP-OMP (PedvaxHIB or ComVax [Merck]), the third (and final) dose should be given at age 12 to 15 months and at least 8 weeks after the second dose.

7. PCV: Vaccine is not generally recommended for children age greater than or equal to 5 years.

8. Td: For children age 7 to 10 years, the interval between the third and booster dose is determined by the age when the first dose was given. For adolescents age 11 to 18 years, the interval is determined by the age when the third dose was given.

9. IPV: Vaccine is not generally recommended for persons age greater than or equal to 18 years.

10. Varicella: Give 2-dose series to all susceptible adolescents age greater than or equal to 13 years.

Reporting Adverse Reactions
Report adverse reactions to vaccines through the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. For information on reporting reactions following immunization, please visit www.vaers.org or call the 24-hour national toll-free information line (800) 822-7967.

Disease Reporting
Report suspected cases of vaccine-preventable diseases to your state or local health department.

For additional information about vaccines, including precautions and contraindications for immunization and vaccine shortages, please visit the National Immunization Program Web site at www.cdc.gov/nip or call the National Immunization Information Hotline at 800-232-2522 (English) or 800-232-0233 (Spanish).