NBC News
During the last flu season more children died for this disease than in any other previous year except for the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Most were not vaccinated.
Therefore, some doctors expect the first nasal vaccine against the flu available for use in homes to improve vaccination rates, especially the little ones, which are afraid of needles.
Flumist Home, of the Astrazeneca pharmacist, was approved last autumn and is now available with medical recipe for children from 2 years and adults of up to 49.
An analysis carried out in 2019 by researchers at the University of Michigan revealed that most children and up to 30% of young adults are afraid of needles.
Zachary today, a specialist in infectious children’s diseases at Pediatrix Medical Group of Nashville (Tennessee), said that many children are afraid because they are not enough to understand what vaccines are and why they are important.
“Most of the time, anxiety and concern before the vaccine are more fear than the vaccine itself,” he said.
How does Flumist Home work?
The vaccine was approved in 2003 to be administered in medical centers. But after the 2009 swine flu, which introduced the new H1N1 strain, several studies revealed that nasal sprays was less effective than other flu vaccines. That led to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to advise their use in 2016. At that time, the CDC said that the nasal spoon represented a third of all vaccines against the flu administered to children.
In response, Flumist manufacturers reformulated the product to better adjust to circulating strains, including H1N1, and nasal sprays returned to the market in 2018. Like the injectable immunizations against flu, Flumist is updated each season according to the recommendations of the health authorities.
“Flumist’s effectiveness is comparable to that of injectable flu vaccines and is a safe and effective option without needles to protect against the disease,” said Andrew Leone, spokesman for Astrazeneca.
The experts said it is too early to know what the next season of flu will be like. In general, flu vaccines have an efficacy of 40% and 60% in the prevention of serious symptoms; Flumist Home should offer the same protection. The doses for the 2026-2027 season contain three virus strains: an A/H1N1 strain, an A/H3N2 strain and a strain B of the B/Victoria lineage, according to the manufacturer.
The vaccine contains a weakened form of a living virus to stimulate the immune system. Pregnant women or people with committed immune systems are recommended to consult your doctor before using it.
Does insurance cover it?
Flumist Home is only available for online purchase. People requesting Nasal spray must complete a medical evaluation questionnaire at Flumist.com that will be reviewed by a health professional, according to the medication manufacturer. Flumist Home online pharmacy will collect insurance information and directly invoke the health plan.
A temperature monitor in the container will verify that the vaccine has remained at the right temperature during shipment and delivery. The green color means that it is safe to use it. Red means that it is not.
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Christina Linkst, a pharmacy editor in Goodrx, estimated that insurance people will probably only have to pay a shipping rate of $ 8.99 for the nasal aerosol.
“Currently, if you have no medical insurance, Flumist is only available in health centers,” said Leone, from Astrazeneca. “We hope to offer a cash payment option for Flumist Home in future seasons.”
When Flumist is administered in a health center or a clinic, most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover it.
Scott Roberts, Associate Medical Director of Infection Prevention of the Yale Faculty of Medicine, fears that people do not correctly manage the nasal aerosol vaccine without the supervision of a doctor.
“What happens if they have nasal secretion? How far should they spray on the nose? What happens if they stored it incorrectly at home?” Roberts questioned.
Kristina Bryant, a specialist in infectious diseases of Norton Children’s of Louisville, in Kentucky, and a member of the Infectious Diseases Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said all the available flu vaccines offer similar protection.
“The most important thing to know is that vaccines only work if administered,” he added, “hopefully the availability of a vaccine that can be administered at home facilitates some people to protect against the flu.”
