It’s now possible to give yourself a flu vaccine at home

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN

For the first time, many people in the United States who want to protect themselves against the flu this respiratory virus season can order a vaccine to give themselves at home.

AstraZeneca’s FluMist, the only nasal spray flu vaccine in the US that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, is now available for home delivery in 34 states under the brand name FluMist Home. It can be self-administered by adults under 50 and to children as young as 2 with the help of a parent or caregiver.

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The online ordering platform includes a brief medical screening questionnaire to be reviewed by a licensed health-care provider before prescribing the vaccine. It is covered by most commercial insurance, with an $8.99 fee for shipping and handling.

FluMist has been on the market for more than two decades, receiving initial FDA approval in 2003. In September 2024, the FDA gave the green light for the nasal spray vaccine to be self-administered but it wasn’t ready to reach the public in time for last respiratory virus season.

Experts say this novel option for self-administration could be a useful tool to help improve vaccination rates at a critical time.

Last flu season was unusually intense and severe. Preliminary estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that there were up to 82 million illnesses, 1.3 million hospitalizations and 130,000 deaths from flu between October 2024 and May 2025 – but less than half of kids and adults in the US had gotten their annual flu vaccine.

The general public is becoming “increasingly comfortable” with home administration of drugs and biologics such as Covid-19 tests and GLP-1 injections, said Dr. Peter Hotez, a pediatrician who co-directs the Center for Vaccine Development at Texas Children’s Hospital.

“We learned during Covid how home diagnostic testing became widely accepted and that turned out to be a great public health intervention,” Hotez said. “Given the low uptake of seasonal flu vaccine in America, I think it is worth exploring some novel approaches.”

With the rise of vaccine hesitancy and other challenges, it’s key to remove as many barriers as possible, said Elizabeth Bodin, vice president of AstraZeneca’s US respiratory and immunology vaccines and immune therapies team.

“There can be many reasons that patients maybe don’t get vaccinated, but one of them can be the practical elements of booking appointments, convenience, being able to get in to see the doctor,” she said. “The ability to go online and with a couple of clicks to be able to order FluMist, have it reviewed by a health care provider to ensure it’s appropriate for you and your family and have it delivered to your doorstep, that can remove one of the barriers that may stand in the way of people getting vaccinated.”

The data AstraZeneca presented to the FDA for approval of FluMist Home included a “usability study” showing people can use it properly without a health-care provider present. The results showed that 100% of intended users administered a full dose, according to the drug company.

A focus on patient-centered care creates pathways for people to take a leading role in their own health care, Bodin said.

“The population that I see benefiting from FluMist Home the most are individuals who are busy convenience-seekers or busy families,” she said. “Maybe they’re getting ready for back-to-school season, and it’s one less item on their to-do list to book a clinic visit or a pharmacy visit. Knowing that they can bring FluMist Home right into their home and vaccinate on their schedule – the time they want, no waiting in line – makes it very manageable for them to ensure that they can protect their family for the upcoming flu season.”

The vaccine that people can now self-administer at home will have the same vial, same vaccine formulation and same effectiveness as the FluMist used by health-care providers, AstraZeneca said.

The vaccine is mailed in temperature-controlled packaging with a tag that patients scan to ensure the vaccine stayed at an appropriate temperature throughout the shipping process. The vial includes two pre-measured doses – one to squirt into each nostril, separated by a clip – and there are a variety of materials to support those who have questions.

FluMist is the only needle-free option available for flu vaccination in the US. It uses a live, weakened version of the influenza virus to provide protection, but injectable flu vaccines use different technology: either killed viruses or proteins to train the immune system to fight off the virus. AstraZeneca says FluMist has been shown to be as effective as other flu vaccines.

According to the FDA, the most commonly reported side effects of FluMist are runny nose and congestion, as well as a fever for young children and a sore throat in adults.

The FDA issued recommendations for the the composition of the 2025-2026 flu vaccines in March, and Bodin says FluMist Home is “ready to target” the virus likely to impact Americans most in the upcoming season.

The-CNN-Wire
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