AstraZeneca is making flu protection more convenient with the launch of an at-home delivery option for FluMist, its nasal spray flu vaccine, the company announced Friday.
On the market since 2003, FluMist was previously only available at pharmacies or doctors’ offices.
Beginning Friday, eligible customers can order it online and have it shipped directly to their door, allowing some parents to vaccinate their children at home without shots or a trip to the pharmacy.
“This launch of FluMist Home is a transformational moment in the evolution of influenza protection, bringing a simple and accessible option directly into the hands of consumers,” Joris Silon, U.S. country president and senior vice president of AstraZeneca, said in a statement.
This vaccine has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2003 for use in a health care facility or pharmacy.
The FDA approved FluMist for self- and caregiver-administration in September 2024, after research showed adults over 18 could safely and effectively administer it to eligible individuals.
FluMist is FDA-approved for home use with caregiver administration for kids 2 to 17 years old and self-administration at home for adults 18 to 49 years old.
The CDC continues to recommend that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine this fall.
AstraZeneca said it hopes the needle-free option and at-home convenience will help boost vaccination rates this year.
Last year’s flu season saw the highest number of flu-related deaths for children for a non-pandemic year — 267 — since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, according to the CDC.
Health experts stress that vaccination remains the best protection against the virus.