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CDC recommends rotavirus vaccination to help protect infants1

CDC recommendation for rotavirus vaccination1

The CDC recommends routine vaccination of US infants (who are at least 6 weeks of age) with a rotavirus vaccine.1

Can be completed as early as 14 weeks of age (doses given at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age). Third dose should not be given after 32 weeks of age. The safety and efficacy of RotaTeq have not been established in infants less than 6 weeks of age or greater than 32 weeks of age.

CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite vaccination rates of approximately 75%, there’s still more to do2

Approximately 1 Out of 4 Children in the US Has Not Been Vaccinated for Rotavirus

children in the US has not been vaccinated against rotavirus.

National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2021-2023. Children born between 2020-2021 (N=28,688).

Help protect your patients by vaccinating them3

Despite good rotavirus vaccination rates in the US, geographic hotspots have been reported with vaccination rates below the national average and rates of rotavirus-related medical encounters above the national average. US counties mapped in green had both low vaccination rates and high rotavirus-related visit rates in a single month between 2015-2017.3,a

aIn 2015-2017, the national rotavirus vaccination rate, calculated using 1996-2017 data from a large US national insurance claims database, was 70%. Rotavirus-related hospital visit rates in counties with vaccination rates less than 70% were 5 times higher than the national average (1 per 1,000 eligible population).3

RGE, rotavirus gastroenteritis.

Helpful information for parents

Parents may feel overwhelmed with the number of vaccines their baby will receive in the first few months. Here is a useful link that you can give them that may help.

Patient resources

Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program

RotaTeq is well established in the VFC Program. Sign up to participate and help provide all routine vaccinations recommended by the CDC to your eligible patients.4

Learn more

Dosing and administration

Review the dosing schedule and administration of RotaTeq.

Learn more

Rotavirus strain coverage

RotaTeq has broad coverage, indicated to help protect against RGE caused by five strains, including G2

Explore strain coverage

References

  1. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Recommended child and adolescent immunization schedule for ages 18 years or younger, United States, 2025. Last reviewed October 7, 2025. Accessed October 27, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/downloads/child/0-18yrs-child-combined-schedule.pdf
  2. Hill HA, Yankey D, Elam-Evans LD, Mu Y, Chen M, Peacock G, Singleton JA. Decline in vaccination coverage by age 24 months and vaccination inequities among children born in 2020 and 2021—National Immunization Survey-Child, United States, 2021-2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(38):844-853. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7338a3
  3. Mast CT, Heyman D, Dasbach E, et al. Planning for the introduction and effectiveness of new vaccines using real-world data and geospatial visualization: an example using rotavirus vaccines with potential application to SARS-CoV-2. Vaccine X. 2021;(7);100084. doi:10.1016/j.jvacx.2021.100084
  4. Vaccines For Children (VFC) Program information for providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed June 28, 2024. Accessed September 5, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/hcp/information-for-providers/
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Indications and Usage

RotaTeq is indicated for the prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants and children caused by Types G1, G2, G3, G4, and G9 when administered as a 3-dose series to infants between the ages of 6 to 32 weeks. The first dose of RotaTeq should be administered between 6 and 12 weeks of age.

The vaccination series consists of 3 ready-to-use liquid doses of RotaTeq administered orally starting at 6 to 12 weeks of age, with the subsequent doses administered at 4- to 10-week intervals. The third dose should not be given after 32 weeks of age.

Selected Safety Information

RotaTeq should not be administered to infants with a demonstrated history of hypersensitivity to the vaccine or any component of the vaccine.

Infants with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID) should not receive RotaTeq. Post-marketing reports of gastroenteritis, including severe diarrhea and prolonged shedding of vaccine virus, have been reported in infants who were administered RotaTeq and later identified as having SCID.

Infants with a history of intussusception should not receive RotaTeq.

No safety or efficacy data are available from clinical trials regarding the administration of RotaTeq to infants who are potentially immunocompromised.

In a post-marketing observational study in the US, cases of intussusception were observed in temporal association within 21 days following the first dose of RotaTeq, with a clustering of cases in the first 7 days.

No safety or efficacy data are available for administration of RotaTeq to infants with a history of gastrointestinal disorders.

Vaccine virus transmission from vaccine recipient to nonvaccinated contacts has been reported. Caution is advised when considering whether to administer RotaTeq to individuals with immunodeficient contacts.

In clinical trials, the most common adverse events included diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, otitis media, nasopharyngitis, and bronchospasm.

In post-marketing experience, intussusception (including death) and Kawasaki disease have been reported in infants who have received RotaTeq.

RotaTeq may not protect all vaccine recipients against rotavirus.

Before administering RotaTeq, please read the accompanying Prescribing Information. The Patient Product Information also is available.

Indications and Usage
Selected Safety Information

RotaTeq is indicated for the prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis in infants and children caused by Types G1, G2, G3, G4, and G9 when administered as a 3-dose series to infants between the ages of 6 to 32 weeks. The first dose of RotaTeq should be administered between 6 and 12 weeks of age.

The vaccination series consists of 3 ready-to-use liquid doses of RotaTeq administered orally starting at 6 to 12 weeks of age, with the subsequent doses administered at 4- to 10-week intervals. The third dose should not be given after 32 weeks of age.

Selected Safety Information

RotaTeq should not be administered to infants with a demonstrated history of hypersensitivity to the vaccine or any component of the vaccine.

Infants with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID) should not receive RotaTeq. Post-marketing reports of gastroenteritis, including severe diarrhea and prolonged shedding of vaccine virus, have been reported in infants who were administered RotaTeq and later identified as having SCID.

Infants with a history of intussusception should not receive RotaTeq.

No safety or efficacy data are available from clinical trials regarding the administration of RotaTeq to infants who are potentially immunocompromised.

In a post-marketing observational study in the US, cases of intussusception were observed in temporal association within 21 days following the first dose of RotaTeq, with a clustering of cases in the first 7 days.

No safety or efficacy data are available for administration of RotaTeq to infants with a history of gastrointestinal disorders.

Vaccine virus transmission from vaccine recipient to nonvaccinated contacts has been reported. Caution is advised when considering whether to administer RotaTeq to individuals with immunodeficient contacts.

In clinical trials, the most common adverse events included diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, otitis media, nasopharyngitis, and bronchospasm.

In post-marketing experience, intussusception (including death) and Kawasaki disease have been reported in infants who have received RotaTeq.

RotaTeq may not protect all vaccine recipients against rotavirus.

Before administering RotaTeq, please read the accompanying Prescribing Information. The Patient Product Information also is available.