Flu Shot Vs Flu Nasal Spray

Study: Flu Shot May Be More Effective Than Nasal Vaccine

FluMist nasal spray might return next flu season

— When it comes to vaccinating yourself — or your kids — against the flu, there are two options in the United States: a traditional shot or a nasal spray.

Yet among children, the nasal spray appeared to have reduced effectiveness against the flu, compared with the shot, in past flu seasons, according to a study on Monday.

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That finding, which involved analyzing data from several previous studies, seems to align with existing research.

“We were able to better describe vaccine effectiveness in age groups that the individual studies were not able to due to small sample sizes,” said Jessie Chung, first author of the study and an epidemiologist in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Influenza Division.

The flu shot in the study is an inactivated influenza vaccine. The nasal spray, FluMist, is a live attenuated influenza vaccine. Though the viruses in FluMist are live, they have been weakened — attenuated, in medical terms — and work by stimulating the immune system.

MedImmune, a subsidiary of London-based AstraZeneca PLC, produces FluMist, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2003.

Two of the new study’s 10 authors are employees of AstraZeneca, but Chung said the company was not directly involved in the study’s analysis.

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First published on January 7, 2019 / 2:41 PM

Flu Vaccine And Cancer Treatment

Cancer or its treatment can lower your resistance to infection and make you more likely to catch flu. The flu vaccination makes it less likely that you will catch flu.

Flu is an infection caused by a virus. It is very infectious. You mainly catch it from coughs and sneezes of people who have the virus. The symptoms of flu often come on quickly and include:

a high temperature
extreme tiredness

Anyone who has flu feels quite unwell. But most healthy people recover within a few days as their immune system gets rid of the virus. Occasionally people develop complications, such as severe chest infections. These are serious illnesses which can need hospital treatment. A small number of people die due to complications.

How Effective Is The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine

The nasal spray flu vaccine gives children the best protection against flu. The injected flu vaccine is a good alternative if the nasal spray vaccine cannot be used.

It may take around 2 weeks for the flu vaccine to work.

Any child who catches flu after vaccination is less likely to be seriously ill or be admitted to hospital.

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Who Should Get An Influenza Vaccine

Everyone 6 months of age and older should get an influenza vaccine every year. The vaccine is free.
Vaccination is especially important for people who are at high risk of serious illness from influenza and those able to transmit or spread influenza to those at high risk.
In BC, influenza vaccines are usually available in October. For best protection, get vaccinated as soon as possible.
The influenza vaccine is your best defense against influenza.

There are two main types of influenza vaccines, the inactivated influenza vaccine, and the live attenuated influenza vaccine. The vaccines protect against either 3 strains of influenza or 4 strains of influenza .

The following influenza vaccines will be available in BC for the 2022-23 season:

The vaccine you receive will be based on your age, risk factors, and availability.

What Else Should I Know

Ontario to offer nasal spray flu vaccine for kids

Some things might prevent a person from getting the flu vaccine. Talk to your doctor to see if the vaccine is still recommended if your child:

has ever had a severe allergic reaction to a flu vaccination
has had Guillain-Barré syndrome

Egg Allergy and the Flu Vaccine

In the past, people with an egg allergy had to check with their doctor about whether the flu vaccine was OK for them because it’s grown inside eggs. But health experts now say that the amount of egg protein in the vaccine is so tiny that it’s safe even for kids with a severe egg allergy. This is especially important during a severe flu season.

Still, a child with an egg allergy should get the flu vaccine in a doctor’s office, not at a supermarket, drugstore, or other venue.

Getting a Flu Vaccine During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The flu season seemed milder during the COVID-19 pandemic, as fewer people got infected or were hospitalized with the flu. This was probably tied to public health measures that protected against coronavirus, as they also protect against the flu. These included wearing masks in public, social distancing, and less travel. Increased flu vaccination rates also might have helped. If these precautions happen less, the rate of flu infections will go back up, so it’s still important to get a flu vaccine each year. People can get a flu vaccine at the same time they get the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Should My Child Get A Flu Shot

Yes. All children over 6 months old should get a flu shot each year.

Babies and children 6 months to 9 years of age who have never had a flu shot will need 2 doses of the vaccine, given at least 4 weeks apart.

Those who have had one or more doses of the regular seasonal flu shot in the past, or children 9 years of age and older, will only need 1 dose per year.

The vaccine is especially important for children and youth who are at high risk of complications from the flu, including those who:

are between 6 months and 5 years of age.
have chronic heart or lung disorders serious enough to need regular medical follow-up.
have chronic conditions that weaken the immune system, such as immune deficiencies, cancer, HIV or a treatment that causes immune suppression.
have diabetes or other metabolic diseases.
have chronic kidney disease.
have to take acetylsalicylic acid on a daily basis.
live in a chronic care facility.
live in First Nation or Inuit communities.
live with another child or adult who is at risk of complications from the flu.

Children under 5 years old are at higher risk of complications from the flu such as high fever, convulsions and pneumonia. If you have children younger than 5 years old or who have health complications, everyone living in the house should get a flu shot. This is especially important if you have children under 6 months old or if a member of your household is pregnant.

How The Nasal Flu Vaccine Is Given

The vaccine is given as a spray in each nostril. It is not painful and is absorbed quickly.

If your child sneezes or blows their nose after vaccination, the vaccine dose does not need to be repeated.

It takes 2 weeks for the vaccine to work.

Your child should not get the vaccine if they:

have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the flu vaccine or any of its ingredients
have severe asthma or if they have been wheezy or needed their inhaler more than usual in the 3 days before the vaccination
are taking medicines called salicylates, which include aspirin
have taken influenza antiviral medication within the previous 48 hours
have a severely weakened immune system because of certain medical conditions or treatments
are living with someone who has a severely weakened immune system – for example, a person who has to live in insolation in the months following a bone marrow transplant
have a condition which means they have a leak of cerebrospinal fluid – the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
have severe neutropoenia , except for those with primary autoimmune neutropenia
are on combination checkpoint inhibitors, for example ipilumumab plus nivolumab, which are used to treat cancer
have a cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak

Your child may not be able to have the nasal flu vaccine if they have had a cochlear implant. Ask your child’s hearing specialist if your child can have the nasal flu vaccine.

Flu Shot Vs Flumist: Which Is Better For Your Child

Each year, many children get sick with the flu some are hospitalized and some die. Young children are the most likely to get sick with the flu. Children younger than 5 years are at high risk of getting serious flu complications. Vaccinating your child is the best way to protect them.

This summer, the Centers for Disease Control released new data from a study comparing flu shots and nasal sprays. Their research found that the nasal spray prevented 50 percent more flu cases than the flu shot in children 2 to 8, and the CDC now recommends that healthy children in this age group be vaccinated with the nasal spray when its available.

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All nasal-spray vaccines are quadrivalent, which means they protect against four strains of flu virus: two influenza A strains and two influenza B strains.

Whats the difference?

Both the flu shot and nasal spray work protect against the flu , but they work differently. The shot contains an inactivated influenza virus designed to help the bodys immune system guard against the actual disease.

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Live Vs Inactive Vaccine

Why is the nasal spray a viable option again for the flu vaccine?

FluMist is a live vaccine. This means that FluMist has live flu viruses in it that have been weakened so that they shouldnt infect you with the flu.

In comparison, flu shots are inactive vaccines that dont have live viruses in them. As a result, flu shots cant cause the flu.

Because FluMist is a live vaccine, you shouldnt get FluMist if you have certain conditions, such as a weakened immune system. If you have a weakened immune system and youre immunized with FluMist, you may become infected with the flu. This is because your immune system may not be strong enough to fight the flu viruses in the vaccine.

If you have any questions about the difference between the FluMist nasal spray and a flu shot, talk with your doctor. They can help you decide which is the best option for you.

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Does Flumist Cause Autism

No, FluMist doesnt cause autism. There has been some speculation in the past that vaccines or ingredients in vaccines, such as thimerosal, may cause autism. However, there is no relationship between any vaccine and developing autism.

Many studies, such as one published in the Journal of Pediatrics, show that vaccines dont cause autism. The also says that no link has been found between the development of autism and vaccines.

If you have questions about the risks of flu vaccines, talk with your doctor.

Who Should Not Get The Nasal Flu Vaccine

Children less than 2 years old .
Those who are pregnant and people who have weakened immune systems. It is a live virus vaccine.
People who have to take acetylsalicylic acid on a daily basis.
People with severe asthma who have been treated with steroids or had severe wheezing in the past 7 days .

These people should get the injected vaccine.

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Who Is Eligible For The Nasal Spray

FluMist Quadrivalent, the nasal spray, is approved for use in non-pregnant individuals who are ages 2 to 49. However, some people with medical conditions should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine.

Some of those conditions include: Children ages 2 to 17 who are taking aspirin or salicylate-containing medication people who have weakened immune systems those who are age 5 and up who have asthma and others with conditions such as lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, or neurological or neuromuscular disorders. You can find more information about who is eligible for the nasal spray at CDC.gov.

So, if youre in the right age bracket without any limiting conditions, how do physicians decide which version to offer?

Some physicians might prefer the injectable vaccine in fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends it but in general, patient preference and vaccine availability drive the process, explains Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, a board certified infectious disease physician and a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

As stated above, the American Academy of Pediatrics, in a statement, recommended the shot, saying the academy believes its the most effective and that it remains to be proven whether the nasal spray will be effective against H1N1 this year.

Flu Shot Vs Nasal Spray: Which Vaccine Is Better This Year

The messaging couldnt be more clear: Everyone who is over the age of 6 months and able should get the flu vaccine this year. But while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health officials have stressed the importance of getting vaccinated against the flu this fall, there hasnt been a lot of discussion about which kind to get.

There are several types of flu vaccines, but they can generally be grouped into two categories: the shot and the nasal spray. Each is slightly different, and its understandable to have questions about which is right for you. Heres what you need to know.

What is the difference between the flu shot and the nasal spray vaccine?

There are actually several. At a very basic level, the flu shot is given with a needle in your arm while the nasal spray vaccine is misted into your nose. But the differences dont end there.

The flu shot uses an inactivated version of the flu to stimulate your immune system, while the nasal spray vaccine uses an attenuated live virus, the CDC explains. While both vaccines may cause flu-like side effects, neither vaccine can actually give you the flu, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

There are different forms of the flu shot, but many people under the age of 65 will receive the quadrivalent flu shot. Thats designed to protect against the following strains, per the CDC:

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Flumist Generic Or Biosimilar

FluMist is available only as a brand-name medication. Its not currently available in biosimilar form.

A biosimilar is like a generic. A generic is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication thats made from chemicals.

A biosimilar, on the other hand, is a drug thats similar to a brand-name biologic drug. Biologics are drugs made using living cells. Because of this, the drugs cant be copied exactly.

Biosimilars have the same safety and effectiveness as the brand-name medication. Usually, a biosimilar drug costs less than the brand-name biologic.

Heres some information on how FluMist compares with a flu shot.

Is This Vaccine Safe

Like any medicine, the influenza vaccine is capable of causing side effects, most of which are mild. The risk of the influenza vaccine causing serious harm is extremely small. The risk of getting the flu and suffering serious complications is much greater.

Most people who get this vaccine have either no side effects or mild side effects such as nasal congestion or runny nose. Life-threatening allergic reactions are very rare.

How Does The Nasal Flu Vaccine Work

The process of getting the nasal flu vaccine is pretty simple, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. There is a syringe type of device that contains the vaccine, its inserted into your nose, and it mists the vaccine into your nostrils, he says. The person usually sniffs it. This method, he explains, exposes the lining of your nose to the vaccine.

Flumist Vs A Flu Shot

Pediatrician explains flu shot vs. nasal spray for children

Science Photo Library – IAN HOOTON / Brand X Pictures / Getty Images

FluMist vs. Flu Shots

Every child should have an annual flu shot to keep them safe during flu season. However, despite the fact that flu vaccination helps kids avoid getting sick, not all eligible kids get a flu vaccine.

One reason is vaccine hesitancy, which is often rooted in misconceptions about the importance or safety of this immunization for children. Another is that most kids don’t like to get a flu shotor any shot, which can make for an unpleasant doctor visit.

Of course, the health of your child is worth them enduring a flu shot. However, a shot is not the only way to get vaccinated against the flu. The FluMist nasal spray flu vaccine is another effective option, providing protection without any ouch.

Both the traditional flu shot and FluMist offer robust protection against getting sick and spreading the flu to loved onesand the larger community. Here’s what you need to know about the flu shot and FluMist to help you decide which one is best for your child.

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Shot Beats Nasal Spray In Adult Seasonal Flu Vaccine Trial

Sep 29, 2009 While there is evidence that the live nasal-spray vaccine for seasonal influenza works better than injectable vaccine in children, the injectable vaccine was found to be more effective in a trial in close to 2,000 young adults, according to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers led by Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan report that trivalent influenza vaccine was 68% effective and the live attenuated vaccine was 36% effective in preventing lab-confirmed flu in the study volunteers during the 2007-08 flu season.

The US government has ordered supplies of both injectable and intranasal vaccines against the pandemic H1N1 virus. Most of the supply will be the injectable form, but many of the first doses, expected to reach providers next week, will be the nasal-spray type.

Study showed 50% better protection for shotThe study was part of a 4-year randomized trial that began in 2004. The team recruited 1,952 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 49 for the study in the fall of 2007 . The study took place on four university campuses in Michigan, and the mean age of the participants was 23.3 years.

The volunteers were randomly assigned to a TIV group, an LAIV group, or one of two corresponding placebo groups, with the vaccine groups five times as large as the placebo groups. About 62% of the volunteers were women, and 37.5% had received a flu shot at some time in the past.