“Less tense than a shot”: what is this nasal flu shot?

Good news for little ones who fear bites. After years of debate, French children could be vaccinated against the flu. The High Health Authority (HAS) has recommended this Thursday to vaccinate the little ones from the age of 2 to fight the spread of the disease.

The idea is not to make it mandatory, but for the seasonal flu vaccine to be integrated into the vaccination schedule so that it is offered every year to children without comorbidities from 2 to 17 years of age.

“A simpler method of administration”

For this reason, health authorities recommend all available flu vaccines, but advise using a nasal spray vaccine, such as Fluenz Tetra, developed by the AstraZeneca laboratory. Available in France since December 2020, it is currently not very present in vaccination campaigns on a national scale.

More than greater effectiveness, it has the advantage of favoring a gesture that is less irritating than an injection. “This simpler mode of administration, spraying into the nose, should be better accepted by children and their parents,” judges the HAS in its opinion published on Thursday.

According to the online platform for pediatricians, founded by pediatrician Arnault Pfersdorff, this nasal vaccine is “composed of four strains of the influenza virus, in accordance with WHO recommendations”: namely, “2 type A strains (H1N1 and H3N2) and only two type B (Yamagata and Victoria)”.

It is also highly recommended by the Higher Council of Public Health (HCSP) for children at risk.

300,000 doses stored by the State

According to Vidal, this vaccine is not currently marketed in France, unlike other countries such as the United Kingdom. However, its delivery in France is guaranteed by community pharmacists, under medical prescription.

The doses made available come from the stock constituted by the State to meet the strong demand for seasonal flu vaccines observed this year and to compensate for the insufficient supply through the usual order circuit. A state stock that stood at 300,000 doses nationwide in 2020.

Specifically, the vaccination schedule for this nasal vaccine depends on the patient’s vaccination history: that is, two doses (one dose corresponds to two sprays) are required one month apart in children who have never been vaccinated against seasonal flu. , and a single dose in children who have already been vaccinated against seasonal influenza previously.