Precautions On The Use Of Nasal Spray
The following conditions are precautions to the use of the nasal spray flu vaccine:
- Asthma in people aged 5 years and older.
- Other underlying medical conditions that can put people at higher risk of serious flu complications.
- Moderate or severe acute illness with or without fever.
- Guillain-Barré Syndrome within 6 weeks following a previous dose of flu vaccine.
How The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Is Given
The vaccine is given as a spray squirted up each nostril. It’s quick and painless.
The vaccine will still work even if your child gets a runny nose, sneezes or blows their nose.
Your child will be given 2 doses if they’re under 9 years old and have both:
- a long-term health condition that means they’re more at risk from flu
- never had a flu vaccine before
These doses are given 4 weeks apart.
Flu Vaccine Effectiveness For 20212022 Season
Each year, the flu vaccine is designed to protect against the strains of the flu that scientists believe will be most common. However, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine depends on which flu strains are most prevalent and how they compare to the strains that the vaccine protects against.
Because of this, flu vaccine effectiveness varies from year to year. Scientists dont yet have estimates for the effectiveness of the flu vaccine for the 20212022 season. In addition, in the 20202021 flu season the CDC didnt estimate the effectiveness of the vaccine because transmission of the flu was historically low, likely due to COVID-19 precautions that also protect against the flu.
Recommended Reading: Type A Vs Type B Flu
Who Should Have The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine
The nasal spray flu vaccine is free on the NHS for:
- children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2021 born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2019
- all primary school children
- all year 7 to year 11 children in secondary school
- children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions
If your child is aged between 6 months and 2 years and has a long-term health condition that makes them at higher risk from flu, they’ll be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
This is because the nasal spray is not licensed for children under 2 years.
The nasal spray vaccine offers the best protection for children aged 2 to 17 years. They will be offered the flu vaccine injection if the nasal spray vaccine is not suitable for them.
Some children will be offered the injected flu vaccine if they have:
- a severely weakened immune system
- asthma that’s being treated with steroid tablets or that has needed intensive care in hospital
- a flare-up of asthma symptoms and need to use a reliever inhaler more than usual
- had an allergic reaction to a flu vaccine in the past
- a condition that needs salicylate treatment
If you’re not sure, check with the school immunisation team, the nurse or GP at your surgery, or a hospital specialist.
The injected flu vaccine is given as a single injection into the muscle of the upper arm, or the thigh for children under 1 year.
Flu Shot Vs Nasal Spray: Which Is More Effective
In its guidelines for the 2018-2019 flu season, the American Academy of Pediatrics said the injectable vaccine was the better option for children over the needle-free nasal spray. However, in their updated guidelines for the 2021-2022 flu season, the CDC and AAP do not state a preference for either the flu shot versus the nasal flu vaccine.
“In past years, the injectable form was preferred due to better protection, but this flu season, the flu mist has equal preference with the injectable vaccine,” says Preeti Sharma, M.D., pulmonologist at Children’s Health and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern. “Still, in many cases, the flu nasal mist is not the best choice, especially for people with a history of lung diseases, or for anyone who is immunocompromised.”
Parents should talk to their pediatrician about which flu vaccine is recommended for their child. Children must be 2 years of age or older to receive the nasal spray vaccine. The flu nasal spray is not recommended for anyone with chronic lung problems like asthma or cystic fibrosis, for children taking certain medications or for anyone with a compromised immune system. The CDC also notes that nasal congestion may limit the ability of the vaccine to reach the nasal lining.
Whether you opt for the flu shot or nasal spray vaccine, flu season is still coming. Protecting your child from the influenza virus is a very important part of making sure your family stays healthy.
Also Check: Tylenol Cold And Flu Severe Vs Dayquil
No Flu Nasal Spray Next Season: Why Is This Vaccine Not Working
23 June 16
People who prefer to get the nasal spray version of the flu vaccine, as opposed to the flu shot, will be out of luck next season: Health officials say the nasal spray should not be used this coming fall and winter.
The decision was based on new data showing that the nasal spray was not very effective at preventing flu from 2013 to 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In fact, last flu season , the nasal flu vaccine had no protective benefit for children ages 2 to 17. In contrast, children who got a flu shot were 63 percent less likely to catch the flu than people who weren’t vaccinated, the CDC said.
“We have to go with what the data says,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious-disease specialist and a senior associate at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Center for Health Security, who wasn’t involved with the CDC decision, but supports the recommendation. “This vaccine isn’t as effective as we need,” at least based on data from the past few flu seasons, Adalja said.
The nasal spray’s low effectiveness is somewhat surprising, experts say in earlier studies, the spray performed just as well as, and sometimes better than, the flu shot. The nasal spray contains live, weakened flu viruses, which, in theory, can produce a stronger immune response than the killed flu viruses that are in the flu shot, the CDC said.
Children With Egg Allergies
Children with an egg allergy can safely have the nasal spray vaccine, unless they’ve had a life-threatening reaction to eggs that required intensive care.
An egg-free injectable vaccine which can be used in those from 2 years of age is available. If you’re affected, please speak to your immunisation nurse for advice.
You May Like: Are Flu Vaccines Mandatory For Nurses
What Is The Nasal Flu Vaccine Exactly
The nasal flu vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, meaning it contains weakened flu viruses so they wont make you sick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains. Those weakened viruses are specially designed to only multiply at the cooler temperatures found in your nose and not in your lungs or other areas in your body that are warmer.
Just like the regular flu vaccine, the nasal flu vaccine targets certain strains of influenza that researchers predict will circulate the most during that given year.
This years nasal flu vaccine is a quadrivalent vaccine, meaning it targets four strains of the flu, the CDC says. The 2021-2022 nasal flu vaccine will target the following strains, according to the Food and Drug Administration and CDC:
- an A/Victoria/2570/2019 pdm09-like virus
- an A/Cambodia/e0826360/2020 -like virus
- a B/Washington/02/2019- like virus
- a B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus
How Well Does Flumist Work
FluMist is an effective vaccine to help prevent against infection with the influenza viruses.
FluMist was studied in clinical trials of adults ages 18 to 49 years. Researchers followed people in the study over the course of 7 weeks. People vaccinated with FluMist were 23.7% less likely to develop an upper respiratory infection with a fever compared with people who received a placebo. Upper respiratory infections include the common cold.
However, no vaccine is 100% effective. Although FluMist may decrease your risk for becoming infected with the flu viruses, you could still develop the flu.
Talk with your doctor about whether FluMist is right for you and what else you can do to help prevent the flu.
Recommended Reading: How To Treat A Toddler With The Flu
Why Is Annual Flu Vaccine So Important
Flu viruses can change every year. Flu vaccine is updated to include protection against the strains of flu believed most likely to make people sick that year. Flu virus is easily spread from person to person and flu is a very serious illness. Millions of people get sick, and thousands die, from flu illness each and every year. Flu vaccine is the best protection we have and has been used safely and effectively for over 70 years.
Visit the Department of Health’s Flu News web page for more information, or follow us on and for up-to-date news and discussions on flu and other health-related topics.
Flu Facts: Why You Should Protect Your Child
- On average, 8% of people in the U.S. come down with the flu each year.
- Children are most likely to get sick from the flu.
- Pneumonia is one of the most serious complications of an influenza infection.
- According to the CDC, 188 children died of influenza in the U.S. during the 2019-2020 flu season. The season prior, 144 pediatric deaths were reported.
- The best protection against the seasonal flu is the flu vaccine, and it’s encouraged for all people over 6 months of age.
Also Check: Cleveland Clinic Employee Flu Shot
Why Isn’t Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Recommended This Flu Season
Recent studies show LAIV, the nasal spray vaccine, doesn’t provide adequate protection against flu disease and illness, so the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices does not recommend the nasal spray this upcoming 2016-2017 flu season. The injectable flu shot will still be available and is the best protection currently available against flu disease.
Flumist Quadrivalent Starts Working Where The Flu Typically Enters The Bodythe Nose
The flu mainly spreads by tiny droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk.
- These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby
- People with flu can spread it to others about 6 feet away
The flu typically enters your body through your nose, so it’s important to help fight the flu virus there
- One spray of FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT in each nostril can help protect eligible children and adults ages 2-49
- People 9 years of age and older need one dose of FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT each year
- Children 2 through 8 years old may need 2 doses of FLUMIST QUADRIVALENT, depending on their history of previous influenza vaccination. Your healthcare provider will decide if your child needs to come back for a second dose
You May Like: Are Flu Shots Good For A Year
Can The Flu Vaccine Give Me The Flu
A common worry is that the flu vaccine can give you the flu. This isnt possible.
The flu vaccine is made from an inactivated form of the influenza virus or virus components that cant cause infection. Some individuals do experience side effects that will typically go away in a day or so. These include:
- low-grade fever
Both Flu Vaccines Provide Similar Direct And Community Protection
Previous studies conducted in young children suggest that the nasal spray vaccine provides better direct flu protection than the standard flu shot, which would also suggest better herd immunity. However, most comparative flu vaccine studies assess direct protection only and do not consider community protection.
Lead study author Dr. Mark Loeb, of McMaster University in Canada, and colleagues conducted the research in the Hutterite community a colony where individuals live communally and are isolated from cities and towns. The team aimed to identify if vaccinating children and adolescents with the flu nasal spray would provide better direct and community protection than the standard flu shot.
Amongst 52 Hutterite colonies in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, 1,186 children were assigned to receive the nasal spray vaccine and 3,425 to receive the standard flu shot.
The team found that the nasal spray vaccine offered similar direct protection to children and in creating herd immunity as the standard flu shot. Dr. Loeb notes that while the findings do not show the superiority of the nasal spray vaccine over the standard flu shot, what they do show is that both vaccines had a similar effect, which differs from the ACIP data.
The new recommendation against using the flu nasal spray is for the upcoming 2016-2017 flu season. However, the CDC review new data to maintain or change recommendations on a yearly basis.
Don’t Miss: Prolia And Flu Vaccine Together
Children Who Can’t Have The Nasal Spray Vaccine
An alternative injectable form of the vaccine is available for children who cannot have the nasal spray vaccine.
This includes children who:
- have their immune system suppressed because they’re getting treatment for serious conditions, such as cancer, or if they’ve had a transplant
- have a serious condition which affects the immune system, such as severe primary immunodeficiency
- live with or are in close regular contact with very severely immunocompromised people who require isolation
- are taking regular high doses of oral steroids
- have had a severe reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine
- are undergoing salicylate treatment
Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Over Time
The flu vaccine needs two weeks to become fully effective, and protection is thought to last for at least six months. But a person’s antibody levels in response to the vaccine can decrease over time, and different flu strains may be circulating.
Because of that and because each year the vaccine is tailored to the most concerning flu variants, people should get a flu vaccine annually.
Read Also: What To Take For Flu When Pregnant
How Does Flumist Work
The nasal spray vaccine starts working where the flu typically starts, which is in the nose, explains Ambrose. To provide flu protection, it works in your nose, cells and bloodstream, he says. Similar to other live vaccines , FluMist Quadrivalent contains a weakened live virus. It will not cause the flu, but it does trigger your immune system to build antibodies throughout the body to help fight against the flu virus, Ambrose explains.
Need to get your flu vaccine? Heres how to find a clinic near you.
Also, if you want to go for the bonus round in your flu-shielding efforts this year, in addition to getting a flu shot, weve rounded up some tips on how doctors and nurses stay healthy during flu season.
What Kind Of Vaccine Will We Receive
We will receive a variety of quadrivalent vaccines to replace FluMist for the Childhood Vaccine Program. If you privately book vaccines please contact your distributor to find out what your options are for the coming season. We are replacing FluMist with two flu vaccines GSK FluLaval MDV, and Sanofi-Pasteur Fluzone .5mL. We listed all of the products we’ll have available for the season below.
Don’t Miss: What Cold And Flu Medicine Is Safe During Pregnancy
How Effective Is Flumist Compared To Other Flu Vaccines
FluMist targets the same flu viruses as other flu vaccines this year. Because flu vaccines are based on a prediction of which flu viruses will be circulating, we wont have data on the effectiveness of this years flu vaccines until after the flu season is over. However, the CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age or older get a flu vaccine. There is no preference for any of the flu vaccines that are currently available, as long as it has been approved for your age group.
The type of flu vaccine that is best for each individual will depend on their age and health. Talk to your provider if youre unsure which vaccine is right for you. Especially given that this years flu season will coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic, the most important thing is that you get a flu vaccine.
Is The Nasal Spray Form Of The Flu Vaccine More Effective
With flu season just around the corner, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that the nasal spray form of the flu vaccine is the preferred way to vaccinate kids ages 2 to 8, according to a Fox News report. This is the first time that the CDC has advised on a specific vaccination method, but new studies have shown the nasal spray to work especially well in preventing flu in children in this age group.
No vaccination is an absolute guarantee against contracting the flu, but studies now show that the nasal spray form of the vaccination prevented 50 percent more flu cases than a flu shot in kids 2- to 8-years-old. For children ages 9 and older, the CDC does not express a preference. These children should also be vaccinated against the flu and can choose either the traditional flu shot or the nasal spray method. The CDC also recommends that parents do not delay getting their children protected ahead of flu season. If the nasal spray is not available, the agency urges parents to have their kids get the shot instead.
Kids who are getting flu vaccine for the first time should receive two doses, according to the CDC. Children who have received the vaccination previously will need just one dose. All nasal spray vaccinations are quadrivalent, meaning they protect against four strains of the flu virus.
Also Check: Time Of Year To Get Flu Shot