Children in Japan can get vaccinated against influenza this winter with a needle-free, nasal spray.
FluMist won government approval last year and became available this month for those aged from two to 18.
The vaccine creates antibodies not only in the blood, but also in the nose and throat, where the virus enters the body. Its distributor claims it is just as effective as the regular flu shot.
A clinic in Tokyo began using FluMist on Monday. A five-year-old girl there said the spray felt gentle and didn’t hurt.
Her mother said she chose the nasal spray because her daughter tends to scratch the area where a needle is injected.
She said the spray type is also convenient as only a single dose is required.
The head of the clinic said some parents had to give up vaccinating their children because they would throw a tantrum to avoid a shot. He said the needle-free vaccine will be extremely helpful for kids who can’t handle the pain.
FluMist contains a weakened form of live influenza virus strains.
The Japan Pediatric Society says pregnant women or people who have immunodeficiency disorders should avoid the product and choose the inactivated vaccine shots.
The group says since recipients of the nasal spray could infect others with the weakened virus, they should opt for injections if they are surrounded by breastfeeding mothers or people with compromised immune systems.
Children with asthma are also encouraged to get the regular shots, since the nasal spray could cause wheezing.
The pharmaceutical company selling FluMist says 67.9 percent of people who underwent a clinical trial in Japan developed adverse reactions, including nasal congestion and coughs. It says that in rare cases, the subjects caught the flu and ran a fever.