Allergic reactions to FluMist, while possible, are extremely rare. Those who may experience a reaction (including a severe whole-body allergy known as anaphylaxis) are people with a severe egg allergy. Side effects are common with all drugs and vaccines, and FluMist is no exception. Most are mild and transient and will usually resolve within a day.
Should the nasal spray flu vaccine be given to patients with chronic diseases?
Pregnant women and people with certain medical conditions should not get the nasal spray flu vaccine. You may have heard that people with allergies to eggs shouldn’t get the flu shot. But the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology says the vaccine has such a low amount of egg protein that it’s unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. If you have a severe egg allergy, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first. If these problems occur, they begin soon after vaccination and usually are mild and short-lived. People sometimes faint after medical procedures, including vaccination.
Those who choose this option will complete a screening and eligibility assessment when they order FluMist. The vaccine can then be administered to the prescribed household member(s) at their convenience. A caregiver should administer FluMist to individuals 2 through 17 years of age, as individuals in this age group should not self-administer the vaccine.
What are the side effects that could occur with the nasal spray flu vaccine?
However, the nasal spray flu vaccine should not be given during pregnancy. Women who have recently had a baby can get a flu shot or the nasal spray flu vaccine. FluMist is the only live attenuated flu vaccine, as well as the only nasal spray flu vaccine.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu has resulted in about 9.3 million to 41 million illnesses, 100,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations and 4,900 to 51,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2023.
- Because of this, it must not be used by people with compromised immune systems.
- This vaccine is usually injected into your upper arm.
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- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2 and 49.
It may be a good choice for someone who doesn’t like needles but shouldn’t get the spray. Aspirin should be avoided for four weeks following vaccination with FluMist in anyone under the age of 18. One spray is given into each nostril with a brisk compression of the suppressor.
Influenza (Flu)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2 and 49. Vaccine recipients and caregivers who administer FluMist will be sent the vaccine, the Prescribing Information, Information for Patients and their Caregivers and Instructions for Use. The Instructions for Use provides detailed instructions for storage, administration and disposal of FluMist. For those interested in self- or caregiver-administration, the vaccine manufacturer plans to make the vaccine available through a third-party online pharmacy.
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine)
There will still be enough of the vaccine in your nostrils to trigger a protective immune defense. FluMist is a fine, dry powder delivered in a syringe-like sprayer. Each sprayer contains 0.2 milliliters (mL) of the vaccine, enough for a 0.1-mL dose in each nostril. People who have recently taken flu antiviral drugs may need to delay vaccination for two to five days. GoodRx is not available outside of the United States and therefore, access to the site is blocked. If you are trying to access this site from the United States, please try heading to our homepage or our drug directory.
Tell your provider if you feel dizzy or have vision changes or ringing in the ears. People who think that they have been injured by a flu vaccine can file a report with the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The nasal spray flu vaccine contains weakened (attenuated) viruses, so that they will not cause flu illness. The weakened viruses are cold-adapted, which means they are designed to only multiply at the cooler temperatures found within the nose, and not the lungs or other areas where warmer temperatures exist. As opposed to injectable flu vaccines, which are made with inactivated (killed) viruses, FluMist is a live attenuated vaccine made with weakened live viruses. Because of this, it must not be used by people with compromised immune systems.
The Nasal Flu Vaccine (FluMist)
Numerous FDA-approved vaccines are available each flu season to prevent influenza. The nasal spray flu vaccine can be given to people with mild illnesses (e.g., diarrhea or mild upper respiratory tract infection with or without fever). People with moderate or severe illness, with or without fever, should generally wait to be vaccinated until they have recovered. Your health care provider can provide advice about when to get vaccinated if you are feeling ill.
On very rare occasions, severe side effects may occur. It’s usually given at a healthcare provider’s office, but starting in the fall of 2025, it will be made available for home use through a prescription. You can check the FluMist website to enter information to see if you’re eligible. Previously, vaccines included four strains, but one of those is no longer in circulation. The specific variants chosen for each annual flu vaccine are based on surveillance from over 100 national influenza centers in over 100 countries. In addition to not using flu antivirals 48 hours before vaccination with FluMist, continue avoiding these drugs for two weeks after vaccination to ensure optimal effectiveness.
FluMist is a nasal spray flu vaccine that contains a weakened form of live flu viruses. It’s FDA approved for use in healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2 and 49. Food and Drug Administration approved FluMist for self- or caregiver-administration. FluMist is approved for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B in individuals 2 through 49 years of age.
The recommended dosage varies by age and flu vaccination history, and may include one or two doses of the vaccine. The effectiveness of FluMist varies from year to year depending on age, risk factors, vaccine types, and virus types. FluMist may be a good option for adults or adolescents who are averse to injections or when there is a shortage of the traditional flu vaccine.
- The recommended dosage varies by age and flu vaccination history, and may include one or two doses of the vaccine.
- FluMist is sprayed into the nose and has been used safely and effectively for many years.
- FluMist is the only live attenuated flu vaccine, as well as the only nasal spray flu vaccine.
- It is the first vaccine to prevent influenza, more commonly known as the flu, that does not need to be administered by a health care provider.
Nasal spray flu vaccine is not recommended for use in people with some chronic health conditions because the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine in people with those conditions has not been established. While the effectiveness of FluMist can vary each flu season, it’s been found to have similar levels of protection as the flu shot. Starting in the fall of 2025, FluMist may be available for some people to use at home with a prescription. The vaccine is contraindicated for use in people who have had a prior severe allergic reaction to FluMist or any of the components of the vaccine, including egg protein. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products. It’s made from live virus that’s weak and can’t cause the flu.
There are now two approved options for receiving FluMist. The vaccine may be administered by a health care provider in a health care setting (including a pharmacy) or it may be administered by the vaccine recipient or a caregiver who is 18 years of age or older. The nasal spray flu vaccine is approved for use in healthy non-pregnant women, ages 2 through 49 years old.
FluMist is sprayed into the nose and has been used safely and effectively for many years. It was initially approved by the FDA in 2003 for use in individuals 5 through 49 years of age, and in 2007, the FDA approved the use of FluMist to include children 2 through 5 years of age. It bittrex review is the first vaccine to prevent influenza, more commonly known as the flu, that does not need to be administered by a health care provider. FluMist contains a weakened form of live influenza virus strains and is sprayed in the nose.
