SATURDAY, Oct. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Now that the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration has approved the at-home use of the flu vaccine spray FluMist, how do you know that it's the right choice for you and your family? One expert offers advice on the spray's efficacy and how to figure out if FluMist is your best bet against flu germs. Importantly, the spray will not be available for use in homes until the fall of 2025. FluMist was first approved for at-home use in September by the U.
S. Food and Drug Administration. Right now, only healthcare providers can administer the spray.
So, exactly what is FluMist? It is a live influenza vaccine containing a weakened flu virus for the three prominent vaccine strains. It’s approved for children as young as 2 and for adults up to age 49. “Instead of an injection, there is a live vaccine administered by spray into the nose to give a good immune response, so that the nose and respiratory system is better prepared against influenza,” said Dr.
Pedro Piedra , professor of molecular virology and microbiology and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. While Piedra says the FluMist spray is intended for healthy children and adults, it also works for needle-shy people. “The immune response is good for both children and adults.
Like all vaccines, there could be a local reaction for a small percentage of people – this could be a mild cold, a runny nose or soreness in the throat because the virus is alive and replicates in.
