How is the HPV vaccine given?

Like most injections (jabs or jags), the HPV vaccine is injected into your upper arm.

If you are under 15 years old

If you are under 15 years old, you will have 2 separate doses of the HPV vaccine:

• You have the 1st dose of the HPV vaccine.
• You have the 2nd dose at least 6 months after the 1st dose – usually between 6 to 12 months after. 

However, you can have the 2nd dose up to 24 months after the first dose. 

HPV vaccine dose timings (under-15s)

If you are age 15 or over

If you are 15 or over, or will turn 15 during the time you are having the HPV vaccine, you will have 3 separate doses of the HPV vaccine:

• You have the 1st dose of the HPV vaccine.
• 2 months after the 1st dose, you have the 2nd dose.
• 4 months after the 2nd dose, you have the 3rd dose.

In total, it will take 6 months to have all the doses.

You have 3 doses to make sure the vaccine works as well as possible, because the response to 2 doses is not as good as you get older.

HPV vaccine dose timings (15 or over)