(WXYZ) — There’s good news for those who are short on time when it comes to getting a flu shot: the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first self-administered flu vaccine that can be taken right at home.
This is great news, especially for people who are afraid of needles like young children.
Now, the needle-free vaccine is the FluMist, which is made by AstraZeneca. It’s not a new vaccine; it’s been safely used for over 20 years. It just now has two FDA-approved options: in office or at home.
FluMist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine, meaning it contains a weakened form of the flu virus. But it’s been changed, so it doesn’t cause illness in healthy people. It’s sprayed directly into the nose and helps the immune system recognize and fight off the flu virus without causing an infection.
And while people won’t have to visit a doctor’s office to get the vaccine, a prescription will still be needed. Here’s how it’ll work. AstraZeneca plans to make it available through a third-party online pharmacy.
Those interested will fill out a questionnaire that the pharmacy reviews. If the individual is eligible, the pharmacy will write the prescription, and the nasal spray will be shipped directly to the person’s home.
But don’t expect this at-home option just yet. AstraZeneca says it expects the nasal spray will be ready for next year’s flu season.
It’ll be available to healthy people between the ages of 2 to 49. For kids between 2 and 17, the nasal spray should be administered by a parent or caregiver.
However, FluMist is not recommended for some groups, such as:
- People with weakened immune systems
- Pregnant people
- Anyone with severe allergies to the ingredients in the vaccine, except for egg protein
- People who’ve had a severe reaction to any flu vaccine before and
- Kids 2 years old to 4 years old with asthma or a history of wheezing in the past 12 months
There are other underlying health conditions, too, which is why the screening process is really important.
As for side effects, the most common ones reported are fever in kids ages 2 through 6, a runny nose and nasal congestion in people 2 through 49, and a sore throat in adults.
While the at-home version of FluMist won’t be out this year, doctor’s offices and pharmacies will still have the in-office version along with other vaccine options.
I highly recommend getting the flu vaccine—it’s the best way to protect yourself. Last year alone, the flu led to around 35 million illnesses, 400,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths.
