What Are the Dangers of the Flu Nasal Spray?

Vaccines for both seasonal flu and H1N1 flu are available by either injection or nasal spray.

Identification

• The nasal vaccine contains a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) that targets a particular virus or combination of viruses.

Effects

• "Attenuated" means the live virus is weakened so it can't grow at body temperature. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), you can't get the flu from the nasal spray. However, there have been reports of mild reactions such as cough, chills, fatigue and weakness.

Significance

• Nasal flu vaccine is not recommended for people who are under the age of two or over the age of 49, women who are pregnant or those with chronic disease or weakened immune systems who may be infected by even a weakened virus.

Considerations

• Nasal vaccines reduce the risk of seasonal flu by 92 percent in children between the ages of 15 and 85 months. This means that some people who receive it can still get the flu if they're exposed to the virus again.

Warning

• According to the CDC, there is a small possibility that a person who receives the nasal vaccine can infect his close contacts with the flu virus.