Flu nasal mist

[hegs65]

Not to make you feel bad or confuse you anymore than you already are, but I have a child with leukemia and his doctors warned us to keep him from anyone that has had the flu mist for at least 2 weeks.

 

[laurie31]

I found this on the University of Maryland medical Center website, in it it has who should not receive the flumist vaccine:

The flu shot (inactivated vaccine) is preferred over live, intranasal influenza vaccine for physicians, nurses, family members, or anyone else coming in close contact with anyone with a weakened immune system.

Due to the possible transmission of vaccine virus, FluMist recipients should avoid being in close contact with immunocompromised individuals for three weeks following vaccination.

Here's the whole article:

http://www.umm.edu/features/flumist.htm#nomist

Hey, I hope you don't think I'm picking on you by quoting you all the time. I don't mean for it to seem that way!


When FluMist first came out this is exactly what we were told, but if you check, you will see this article is from 2007.

The study showing it is safe for kids with cancer to RECEIVE FluMist (not just be around someone who's had it, but get it themselves) is from just over 3 months ago. I think that's why it's so confusing. I myself didn't even know about that study until I googled to find the CDC page I also quoted earlier. It's pretty impossible for health care providers to keep up with the very latest developments in every area, so they just go with the last thing they knew to be true.

I guess everyone should only do what they feel comfortable doing, but I'm more confortable with the increased immunity and longer duration of immunity provided by FluMist. We are still on the fence about H1N1 vaccine, but if we get it, it will be the mist version as well.

 

[kilee]

I too would err on the side of caution since there is enough info to make a conflicting case.

We are still on the fence about H1N1 vaccine, but if we get it, it will be the mist version as well

I was interested in where you read that the H1NI vaccine will even be available in a mist? I was able to find a lot of articles on it. However, at this point the Federal Government is only offering the "shot" to be ordered from my knowledge.

From work we have attended 3 recent informational sessions on this immunization provided by the CDC. At all of them we've been notified it will only be an injection provided at to our office at this time. We were also told at this time the only option to get the vaccine is to order from the federal government and no direct orders to the manufacturer are being accepted. It is also going to be provided free of cost to clinics, hospitals, states, ect... However, those providers can charge a cost to administer the vaccine but not for the actual "vaccination" itself. (Just like states that have free vaccines for children-- you can charge to give the injection but not for the actual does of lets say MMR for example). We were also given a list of whom the vaccination is to go to in order of priority and then availability. We then have to keep a very detailed record of who we give it to and how they met the priority requirements.

We are gearing up for it and making a strategy plan of administering the immunization. The clinic I work for is part of a "disaster coalition" in our area to handle a widespread outbreak of H1N1.

I also do some "side work" for a private physicians office. In that office 1 provider treats a relatively high risk group, the other does not. The 1 physician had the ability to order the other did not get an option to order the vaccine. The funny thing is the 1 in the private setting had an even tighter restriction list on who to administer to. Like the clinic I work predominantly for, they have to maintain a very detailed list of who it is given to.

 

[SamRoc]

My friend just called me and said my Godson got the flu mist last friday and ended up with the flu! she said next year its back to the shot.

 

[pennymom]

According to the study this article quotes, for seasonal flu the mist is more effective in children, while the shot is more effective in adults:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32990671/ns/health-cold_and_flu/
It also says both types should be about equally effective for all ages in the new H1N1 flu vaccine. The first shipments of the new H1N1 vaccine will be only in mist form.

For seasonal flu, my younger son can't have the mist due to health issues, so all of us get the shot to be on the safe side. I figure I'd rather we all have a quick needle then take a chance...roll up your sleeves, everyone!