Experts Say Kids Nasal Vaccine Is Bad

Over the years, many parents have opted to skip the anxiety-ridden needle poke for kids’ annual flu shot. Instead, they go for the painless FluMist nasal spray vaccine.

But according to a news release from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,) an expert panel has voted to recommend against children and adults getting FluMist for the 2016-17 flu season. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is also backing this change in recommendation.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted on the matter last week, reports NBC News. Although FluMist is out, the ACIP is continuing to recommend the inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) or the recombinant influenza vaccines (RIV) for everyone ages 6 months and older.

In order to come to this conclusion, the ACIP reviewed data from the past few flu seasons and found it didn’t work in recent years.

“This 3 percent estimate means no protective benefit could be measured,” the CDC said in the news release. “It says it’s not clear why it hasn’t worked well … In comparison, inactivated influenza vaccine (flu shots) had a vaccine effectiveness estimate of 63 percent against any flu virus among children 2 years through 17 years.”

The CDC recommends that nearly everyone should be vaccinated against influenza each year. And even when the vaccines do not work perfectly, those who are vaccinated are less likely to get severely ill and die from the flu.

“How well the flu vaccine works (or its ability to prevent flu illness) can range widely from season to season and can be affected by a number of factors, including characteristics of the person being vaccinated, the similarity between vaccine viruses and circulating viruses, and even which vaccine is used,” the CDC said.

“CDC will be working with manufacturers throughout the summer to ensure there is enough vaccine supply to meet the demand,” it added.