Get a whiff of this.
For the first time, Americans can now skip the doctor’s office and pharmacy line for their annual flu vaccine — and they can avoid needles, too.
AstraZeneca’s FluMist Home program officially launches today, sending nasal flu vaccines straight to people’s homes.
FluMist is a flu vaccine that’s sprayed up your nose. It’s been FDA-approved since 2003, and studies show it works about as well as the traditional flu shot at preventing infections and reducing the risk of serious illness.
Since hitting the market more than 20 years ago, the nasal spray had only available through healthcare providers. But this season, that’s changing with FluMist Home.
“This will be the first time someone will be able to give themselves a flu vaccine right in their own home,” Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, told The Post. “While that may seem intimidating, this is an incredible milestone to make vaccines more accessible.”
How does FluMist Home work?
The program is available in 34 states this year, with plans to expand. If it isn’t offered in your state yet — like New York — you can still get the spray at your doctor’s office or pharmacy.
Starting today, people in eligible states can visit FluMist.com to complete a medical screening questionnaire, get approved and choose a delivery date.
The spray will arrive in an insulated package with cooling packs to ensure it’s kept at the right temperature.
Liz Bodin, vice president of US respiratory and immunology, vaccines and immune therapies at AstraZeneca, told The Post that it should be used immediately after it arrives or kept in the fridge for up to two months.
Is it really safe to administer your own flu vaccine?
To earn FDA approval, AstraZeneca conducted a study testing whether adults could successfully administer a full dose of the nasal spray — either to themselves or a child — with the provided instructions. The result? A 100% success rate.
“I’m very confident that eligible patients can administer FluMist safely and effectively at home,” Bodin said.
Each shipment includes instructions with “how-to” guides, videos, a toll-free pharmacist call center and a pharmacist chat feature.
Who should get a nasal flu vaccine at home?
FluMist is approved for self-administration by adults ages 18 to 49, or by parents and caregivers for children between 2 and 17 years old.
“Being able to administer the vaccine in the comfort of one’s own home — and to your own children — makes protection more accessible, convenient, and better aligned with the realities and current preferences of people’s lives,” said Jhaveri, who also serves as a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University.
“If your little one has a fear of needles, or your doctor’s office has no appointments, or you are coordinating a complicated matrix of work, school and after-school schedules, this might be an option for you this season,” he added.
How much does it cost?
Since it’s part of the CDC’s recommended vaccines list, most insurance plans fully cover it. There’s also an $8.99 shipping fee.
Prices vary for those without insurance or whose plans don’t cover it, but GoodRx lists coupons can bring the cost of the nasal spray down to around $30.
Why bother with a flu shot?
The 2024–2025 flu season was the worst in 15 years, with preliminary CDC data reporting at least 47 million cases, 610,000 hospitalizations and 27,000 deaths nationwide — including 216 children.
At the same time, vaccinations lagged across the board. Among Americans under 18, less than half got vaccinated, down from a pre-pandemic rate of 62.4% in 2019-20.
“I strongly encourage flu vaccination — whether it’s your first time or not — because it remains one of the most effective ways to prevent flu,” Jhaveri, who is also division head of infectious diseases at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital, said.
“Children are especially susceptible to serious complications from the flu, such as pneumonia or hospitalization, and 150-200 children die each season — many of whom are otherwise healthy.
“My recommendation is to get your flu vaccine by the end of October, before the virus starts to circulate. It’s a vital step toward protecting yourself, your family and the wellbeing of those around you.”
