Administration of COVID-19 vaccine Infection prevention and control
All those attending for vaccination and those delivering vaccination should wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as described in the infection prevention and control (IPC) advice current at the time of administering the vaccine.

Hand hygiene is critical to prevent the spread of disease and hands should be cleaned with alcohol-based gel or soap and water before vaccine preparation, between patients, etc. Those preparing and administering the vaccine should maintain good hand hygiene throughout and should take care not to touch the vial bung with their fingers.

Injection technique
COVID-19 vaccines should be administered by intramuscular (IM) injection into the deltoid muscle of the upper arm.
Individuals who have minimal muscle mass in the deltoid area of the upper arm, or a particular reason to avoid immunisation in the deltoid muscle, can be given their vaccine in the vastus lateralis muscle in the thigh if necessary.
The area for injection should be clearly visible and accessible. Garments with long or tight sleeves may need to be removed. The injection site does not need to be cleaned unless visibly dirty. If cleaning is required, water should be used and the area dried with a gauze swab. It is not necessary to disinfect the skin.

Insert the needle into the injection site far enough to ensure it will deliver the vaccine into the muscle and depress the plunger. There is no need to pull back on the plunger (aspirate) before the plunger is depressed to release the vaccine into the muscle because there are no large blood vessels at the recommended injection sites.
Ensure the full dose is administered as a partial dose will not evoke a full immune response. Remove the needle and if there is any visible blood at the injection site, the patient can apply pressure to the site with a piece of gauze/cotton wool.