Flu Mist Not As Effective This Season
Published: Sept. 7, 2016
It's health news many parents will not like to hear. The nasal flu vaccine is not effective this year, and it's recommended people get the flu shot instead of FluMist.
Doctors say the mist has been a popular option for children since it is painless. Some adults have also liked the spray, but the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices says the FluMist is only 3% effective this year. The shot is roughly 60% effective.
That's why clinics likes Methodist Physicians Clinic is not even offering the spray this year. People are caught off guard to learn that. "There's definitely some surprise and disappointment, but thankfully I haven't encountered a family who has declined our flu vaccine because of it," said Dr. Rosann Nichols, a pediatrician with Methodist Physicians Clinic.
