You Can Now Vaccinate Yourself Against the Flu

When you’re ready to get your flu vaccine this year, you have a convenient new option: you can skip the doctors’ office or pharmacy and inoculate yourself. FluMist, a vaccine sprayed up the nose to protect people from serious influenza symptoms, is now available for anyone in the U.S. to order online and administer to themselves or others at home.

FluMist, made by AstraZeneca, has been available since 2003. But even though it’s relatively easy to administer, it still required a health care professional to give to people. in Sept. 2024, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it for at-home use without a health care professional—making it the first flu vaccine that people can give themselves.

Here’s what to know. 

How does FluMist work?

FluMist is the only nasal vaccine approved in the U.S. It’s administered as two spritzes—one in each nostril—and stimulates antibodies against the influenza virus in the nasal passages and bloodstream to protect against serious disease.

It differs from the more popular flu shot option. FluMist uses a weakened form of the influenza virus, while the flu shot contains an inactivated virus. But both annual shots help protect against the worst effects of whatever influenza strain is circulating and causing disease.

Is FluMist as effective as the flu shot?

For most people, the spray and shot are comparable in protecting against serious flu symptoms and hospitalization. FluMist is approved for children and adults from two to 49 years old, since studies show that it’s less effective in people 50 and over; their immune systems tend to be weaker. For people over 65, health officials recommended a higher-dose flu vaccine to ensure they receive the maximum protection.

Read More: When Is the Best Time to Get the Flu Shot?

Ultimately, however, the biggest determinant of the efficacy of any flu vaccine is how well matched it is to the influenza strains causing disease in a given season.

How do you vaccinate yourself? 

You can order doses for yourself or others in your household at flumist.com in a program the company is calling FluMist Home. Each request is reviewed by pharmacists who partner with AstraZeneca to confirm that you and those you want to immunize are eligible for this type of influenza vaccination. Most healthy people ages two to 49 qualify.

If you are eligible, the nasal sprays are shipped to your home, to arrive at a date you specify. That’s important, because FluMist needs to be kept below a certain temperature in order to remain effective. 

Once it arrives, you can either use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator. Squirt the spray in each of your nostrils—or those of your family members—and whoever receives it will be vaccinated for the season.

What are the side effects?

FluMist’s side effects can differ slightly from those of the flu shot. While the flu shot can cause redness and soreness at the injection site, as well as fever, muscle aches, headache and fatigue, FluMist can cause flu-like symptoms, including runny nose, congestion, sore throat, cough, fever, and muscle aches. That’s because FluMist is made from weakened forms of the live virus.

Read More: Cutting mRNA Research Could Be Our Deadliest Mistake Yet

Does FluMist cost more?

Yes, FluMist generally costs more than the flu shot. But all forms of flu vaccination are covered by insurance, so most people will pay about the same amount in any out-of-pocket costs, depending on their insurance plan.

Will FluMist boost vaccination rates?

Doctors and public-health experts are eager to see if the new at-home option for FluMist has an effect on vaccination rates and the number of flu cases in the coming season. Vaccination rates for flu have been declining since the pandemic, including among children. In the 2023-2024 flu season, nearly 45% of adults received at least one dose of the flu shot, compared to nearly 47% in the previous year. There was a similar drop for kids: 55% of children from six months to 17 years old got vaccinated, compared to 57.4% in the previous year. The convenience of vaccinating at home, without the need to make a doctor’s appointment or wait at a pharmacy, could address some of the barriers to getting vaccinated—although it likely won’t impact growing vaccine skepticism that is contributing to some of the decline in immunization rates.

“We believe firmly that vaccines play a critical role in public health,” said Elizabeth Bodin, vice president of U.S. marketing, sales, and access for respiratory and immunology at AstraZeneca, during an Aug. 14 press briefing. “Given the reductions in vaccination rates, it’s more important than ever that we bring education on the importance of vaccines and break down barriers with FluMist Home.”