First At-Home Flu Shot - No Needles

A.J. Pike

USVI - Back to school season is also the start of the flu season. In case all the recent reports about vaccines have become a bit confusing, the top science-backed way of lowering your risk of getting the flu is still getting your flu shot.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting a flu vaccine lowers the risk of getting the flu by between 40% and 60%. If you do get it, your symptoms will be less severe. Despite its efficacy, only about half of those who are eligible for the flu vaccine in the U.S. get a flu shot. 

“Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year and may result in serious complications, including hospitalization and death,” said Peter Marks, former Director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. 

But now, getting vaccinated is more convenient than ever. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first and only needle-free flu vaccine that you can get delivered and administer to yourself, right at home. Called FluMist, the vaccine is a nasal spray and is approved for use for anyone between the ages of 2 and 49, and by caregivers for those aged 2-17. 

How it Works:

• Go to www.FluMist.com to learn more and begin the process.

• Complete the screening: Fill out an online medical screening questionnaire to confirm eligibility

• Receive the vaccine: A licensed healthcare provider reviews your questionnaire, a prescription is issued, and the vaccine is shipped to your home in a cold pack

• Administer the vaccine: The package includes detailed instructions on how to give yourself or a child the vaccine. 

AstraZeneca’s FluMist was approved in 2003 to be given by health care providers. Last year, the FDA broadened the approval of the nasal spray to make it the first self-administered option. 

FluMist should not be used in people with a “severe allergy to its components, eggs, or other flu vaccines” according to the product’s website, which offers a full list of patient and safety information. It also states that FluMist is also free under most commercial insurance but there is a shipping fee.

“We recognized that people’s daily lives are busier than ever, and we knew we needed to meet people where they are facing the realities of real life,” said Tonya Villafana, Vice President of Medical and Scientific Affairs at AstraZeneca. “FluMist Home is designed to remove traditional obstacles to vaccination, things like scheduling clinic visits, waiting in line, and the fear of needles.” 

The FluMist vaccine contains a weakened form of the live influenza virus and protects against four types of flu strains. 

The CDC reports only about 47 percent of adults and 49 percent of children get vaccinated against the flu. The 2024-2025 flu season was categorized as “high severity” and the most severe flu season since the 2009 season when the HINI swine flu pandemic hit the U.S. 

AstraZeneca states that FluMist is not yet available in all states. Check their website for more information.