According to a study involving 8,000 children under 5, spraying flu vaccine (FluMist) via nasal administration to babies and small children is 55% more effective that injection.
(Nasal administration = Giving the medicine through the nose. In this text, it means spraying the vaccine into the nose)
FluMist is a flu vaccine in the form of a spray. It contains a live and weakened virus. At the moment FluMist is only indicated for children over 5. Flu vaccines in the form of injection use dead viruses.
Flu vaccine injections have never been as effective among under 5s as they have been with adults and children over 5. Public health experts say that children spread flu more rapidly than any other part of the population. In order to protect the elderly and frail from flu deaths, it is important to immunize children.
The makers of FluMist, MedImmune Inc., would like to apply for the indication to include children under 5.
According to the study, side effects of FluMist for babies and children under 5 were minimal. A small number had some wheezing – mainly those aged 6 months to two years. Some say that perhaps the spray vaccine should be offered to children over 2.
The study involving 8,000 children under 5 was done during the flu season of 2004 in 16 countries. 3.9% of the children given FluMist caught the flu, while 8.6% of the children given a flu vaccine injection caught the flu.
Scientists believe the spray is more effective than injection because it stimulates immunity in the nose first, and then the rest of the body. Vaccine injections, which use dead viruses, don’t stimulate extra reaction in the nose.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today