2024-09-25 19:20:08
Between 40 and 50 percent of senior citizens in Germany get a flu vaccination every year. This could soon become easier.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first flu vaccine that does not need to be administered by a doctor. “FluMist” is a nasal spray that has been available in pharmacies and health facilities since 2003 with a prescription for people between the ages of two and 49.
With the new approval, adults can now administer the vaccine themselves at home. The vaccine contains a weakened form of live influenza strains that are absorbed through the nose.
As CNN reports, the manufacturer AstraZeneca plans to make the vaccine available for self-administration through an external online pharmacy that will prescribe and ship it after screening and eligibility checks.
“Today’s authorization of the first influenza vaccine for self-administration or caregiver administration provides a new way to receive a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine that may be more convenient, flexible and accessible for individuals and families,” the FDA statement said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), seasonal flu causes around a billion infections every year and up to 650,000 people die from the flu. However, the new vaccine is coming too late for the current season in the USA too. It has not yet been approved in Germany.