FDA Approves FluMist Nasal Flu Vaccine for Home Use: How It Compares to the Regular Flu Shot

Getting your yearly flu vaccine is essential to prevent illness during cold and flu season. But if you’re not a fan of needles, the experience isn’t exactly enjoyable. Enter: FluMist, the newly FDA-approved at-home nasal flu vaccine. FluMist itself isn’t new, but the vaccine can now be self-administered at home during flu season. But is the nasal flu vaccine as effective as the standard shot? We turned to doctors for all the need-to-know info about the latest flu prevention methods.

What to know about the nasal flu vaccine rollout

The Food and Drug Administration gave FluMist nasal spray the green light for self- or caregiver-home use on September 20, 2024. According to the agency, the live attenuated influenza vaccine is “approved for the prevention of influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and B in individuals 2 through 49 years of age.”

FluMist is the first vaccine that does not need to be administered by a healthcare provider. It still requires a doctor’s prescription but can be directly ordered from an online pharmacy. Home delivery is expected to be available next year. (FluMist can currently be administered by a doctor or pharmacist.)

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For anyone older than 49, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend an “adjuvanted inactivated flu vaccine,” says Brynna Connor, MD, Healthcare Ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com. “It has adjuvants added to it to produce a stronger immune response in patients with a weaker immune system,” such as older adults.

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Is the FluMist nasal flu vaccine as effective as the standard shot?

Generally, FluMist nasal spray vaccine is considered to be as effective as the regular vaccine for healthy people in the suggested age range. However, Dr. Connor notes that the two vaccines differ in composition. 

“Both the flu shot and at-home nasal spray work by triggering your immune system to create antibodies that fight against the flu virus,” she says. “While the flu shot is made up of inactive viruses, the at-home nasal flu vaccine is made up of live but weakened viruses.” Neither one can cause the flu.

Whether you use the shot or the nasal spray, the effectiveness ultimately comes down to the “age of the patient, any potential risk factors and/or the subtype/variant of the flu that’s prevalent that season,” adds Dr. Connor. 

Does the nasal flu vaccine last as long as the shot?

The flu shot and the nasal spray last a little more than six months. That means if you get the vaccine in October, it should protect you until May. “It takes approximately two weeks for the at-home nasal spray to be fully effective (just like a flu shot),” says Dr. Connor. “You should administer the at-home nasal spray annually, just as you would when getting a flu shot, as the body’s immunity against the flu virus weakens over time.”

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How do you get FluMist nasal flu vaccine?

Good news! Like the flu shot, FluMist nasal flu vaccine will be covered and available at no cost for those with insurance. If you want to use the at-home nasal vaccine, you’ll have to complete an online screening and eligibility assessment through FluMist.com 

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Once you complete the screening, it will be reviewed by a healthcare professional. Once approved, you can order it through a third-party pharmacy. Spray once in each nostril to administer it. 

“You should use the nasal spray as soon as possible after delivery, but if you can’t, store it in a refrigerator between 35 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit and use it before the expiration date on the label,” says Dr. Connor. 

She also suggests talking to your healthcare provider “before getting a vaccine to determine whether or not you have any underlying health conditions/risk factors” that could contribute to unwanted side effects.