This vaccine is usually injected into your upper arm. It’s made from dead influenza virus and can’t give you the flu. In the United States, only 33 cases of anaphylaxis were reported out of over 25 million doses of childhood vaccines delivered from 2009 to 2011, according to a 2016 review of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. A study was conducted with vaccine recipients and caregivers to evaluate whether the instructions for use were appropriately designed so that recipients and caregivers could safely and effectively use the vaccine. You can sneeze (or blow your nose) after receiving a dose of FluMist.
What If I Sneeze After a Dose of FluMist?
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.
Public Health
These vaccines can better protect people with weakened immune systems. Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. Yes, nasal spray flu vaccine can be given at the same time as other vaccines (live or non-live). If nasal spray flu vaccine is not given at the same time as another live vaccine, they should be spaced at least four weeks apart. There is no recommended spacing period between nasal spray flu vaccine and non-live vaccines.
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.
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.
- If you have a severe egg allergy, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.
- One spray is given into each nostril with a brisk compression of the suppressor.
- The effectiveness of FluMist varies from year to year depending on age, risk factors, vaccine types, and virus types.
- FluMist should be avoided in children up to the age of 17 who take aspirin.
Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (The Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine)
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.
Should the nasal spray flu vaccine be given to patients with chronic diseases?
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.
How FluMist Works and Who Should Get the Flu Vaccine
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.
- By Kristina Herndon, RNKristina Herndon, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002.
- Food and Drug Administration approved FluMist for self- or caregiver-administration.
- As opposed to injectable flu vaccines, which are made with inactivated (killed) viruses, FluMist is a live attenuated vaccine made with weakened live viruses.
- It’s made from live virus that’s weak and can’t cause the flu.
- 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.
Who should not get the nasal spray flu vaccine
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.
There will still be enough of the vaccine in your nostrils to trigger a protective immune defense. FluMist is a fine, dry powder bittrex review 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.
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.