Flu Shots Not Nasal Spray, Experts Explains Why

Experts advise parents to stop using FluMist and go back to the regular flu shots. Research reveals that it does not protect the children from influenza strains as much as the flu vaccine does.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that FluMist should not be used in the United States this year. For they saw that in this past few years it did not protect certain influenza strains, unlike regular flu shots. American Academy of Paediatrics said on Tuesday that youngsters should be encouraged to roll up their sleeves again and take the shot.

Doctor Wendy Sue Swanson of Seattle Children's Hospital and the AAP said, "We're saying, 'Shoot, now we've got to do the poke again, we know the flu vaccine is the best shot at prevention and protecting those who are vulnerable from serious and even life-threatening infections from influenza," according to PBS News Hour.com.

Though Dr. Swanson has tricks like numbing the skin or distraction techniques to ease the pain and anxiety, she asks parents not to tell a lie to their kids that the shot does not hurt. She explained that encouraging your kids that they can do it is much better than lying to them that it doesn't hurt. She even motivates parents to do shots together with their kids and make it a little like a family affair.

Yearly vaccination is encouraged by CDC starting from 6 months of age to elderly over 65 years old. Flu can victimize almost everyone. From young children to pregnant women even elderly. If pregnant moms get the flu shots, the vaccine can help protect the baby during its first 6 months. Survey shows that average flu kills about 24,000 Americans, according to WCBV.com.

In regards with the FluMist, it is not clear why it started to fail against certain strains. One angle is that they change the nasal spray's recipe to incorporate four strains of influenza instead of three. Thus, Manufacturer AstraZeneca said it plans to make a limited amount available in the U.S. in response to some health provider requests

Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases even said that "Having this scientific puzzle really bothers everybody."