Relief agencies can use fractional dosing to eke out limited supplies of yellow fever vaccine, the World Health Organisation said.
Millions of people are being vaccinated in three central African countries in a bid to contain an outbreak which has affected thousands so far.
So far 416 deaths have been reported in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Uganda is also at risk, according to WHO.
So far some 18 million doses of vaccine have been shipped to the three countries.
WHO now says the vaccine could be given at a fifth of the recommended dose. Its expert advisers say this would provide protection for at least a year.
Jon Abramson, who chairs its advisory group, said: "Yellow fever outbreaks in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are placing unprecedented demands on vaccine supply for emergency vaccination campaigns to control the spread of the disease.
"Right now we have enough vaccines in the global stockpile to cope with the ongoing outbreaks if there are no further extensions.
"However, given the wide spread of the disease in Angola and the potential for it to get out of control in the city of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, WHO and partners are seriously considering the use of this dose-sparing strategy to prevent transmission through large-scale vaccination campaigns."
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