The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first flu vaccine that people can administer themselves at home.
The agency on Friday gave the green light to people who have undergone testing to administer the FluMist nasal spray themselves, which can be ordered directly from an online pharmacy, thus avoiding the need to visit a doctor’s office.
FluMist itself isn’t new — the live, attenuated flu vaccine has been FDA-approved for more than two decades. But the ability for adults to order the vaccine to be delivered to people ages 2 to 49 is a major step forward in convenience and access to preventive care.
“Getting vaccinated every year is the best way to prevent influenza, which sickens a substantial proportion of the American population each year and can lead to serious complications, including hospitalization and death,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
According to the FDA, the most common side effects of FluMist are fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in children ages 2 to 6, and runny or stuffy nose in people ages 2 to 49.
Influenza is a common and contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that are most prevalent during the fall and winter in the United States.
