While the work adds information to the picture surrounding FluMist, it won’t clear up the cause of the vaccine’s dramatic efficacy dropoff cited by CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in its decision to recommend against using FluMist for the upcoming season.
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FluMist, the spray version of the flu vaccine, has been pulled amid new research indicating that it’s losing its effectiveness.
Study headed by McMaster University investigators has initiate that, conflicting to current gossips, flu nasal sprays offer comparable defense against influenza as typical flu shots.
The flu shot is covered universally in all provinces except Quebec, New Brunswick and B.C., where it is covered only for high risk groups.
Dr. Mark Loeb, lead author on the new study, told CTV News Channel that his study has a “better design” than recent US studies that found the nasal spray vaccine not as effective. However, most comparative flu vaccine studies assess direct protection only and do not consider community protection. Approved by the FDA in 2003, FluMist is used widely in children and people who are afraid of needles.
Study spectacles that the nose sprig had a parallel effect to the typical flu shot. They are responding with new game plans to ensure they will be ready to start offering flu shots-minus the spray-this fall. For children aged 2 to 17 during the 2015-2016 season, the vaccine was just 3% effective, according to data the committee received in May. Formulating the flu vaccine each year involves some guesswork about which strains of the virus are likely to be circulating, and in some years the vaccine simply isn’t a good match. Experts are still trying to figure out why it doesn’t work as well. “So it was popular and if they can address the challenges that they have with this and prove that it’s effective again, I think that we’ll see this in the future”, said Christine Finley, immunization program manager.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend a yearly flu vaccine by the end of October for everyone over the age of 6 months.
The state health department is still strongly encouraging everyone to get a flu shot this season.
There are several types of available flu vaccine options, such as the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV), which are both injected forms, and the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), also known as the “nasal spray” flu vaccine.
“It’s an important thing to protect against”, Lesteberg said.
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Flu shots aren’t something to fear, she said.
