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First Swine Flu Vaccine Will Be Nasal Spray

But pregnant women, newborns should wait for needle version

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 18, 2009 5:05 PM CDT
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(Newser) – The first Americans to take a swine flu vaccine will be spraying it up the nose, NPR reports. About 3.4 million hits of the nasal spray will come out early next month, a couple of weeks ahead of 195 million by-the-needle doses. Dubbed FluMist, the spray carries a live but neutered version of the H1N1 virus, making it ideal for the young and healthy. Pregnant women, newborns, and people with certain health problems should wait for the needle vaccine, the CDC says.

A healthcare provider administers FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a school-aged girl.
A healthcare provider administers FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a school-aged girl.   (PRNewsFoto/MedImmune, Inc.)
A healthcare provider administers FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a 12-year-old boy.
A healthcare provider administers FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a 12-year-old boy.   (PRNewsFoto/MedImmune, John Harrington)
A healthcare provider uses an empty sample sprayer to demonstrate how to administer FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a preschooler.
A healthcare provider uses an empty sample sprayer to demonstrate how to administer FluMist(R) (Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal) to a preschooler.   (PRNewsFoto/MedImmune, Inc.)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
zackmasson
Sep 20, 2009 12:20 PM CDT
If you look at the stats your odds of dieing from the flue are higher than dieing from the vaccine. About 4-6 people out of 100,000 had adverse reactions. If you find some solid reports post link.
lindamae
Sep 19, 2009 4:50 AM CDT
Let Obama and his family be the first ones to try the new vaccine. I can wait. I became afraid when I learned that if I died from complications of the vaccine that my family could not sue the drug manufacturers because the government has given them safe harmless status. I think the UK and Australia have made the right decisions not to give the vaccine out to everybody since it is not worth the risk of death caused by the vaccine reaction. It is safer to get the flu and take your chances.
pwnage
Sep 18, 2009 10:26 AM CDT
"Hits" ? 'Bummer, this one's spent - fill it again, man'
Health • US

 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • vaccine • influenza • nasal passages • swine flu • H1N1 virus

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