ATLANTA — If your child doesn't do well with shots, doctors say this year's FluMist is a safe option.
The nasal spray is for children age 2 and up to adults age 49.
Dr. Andi Shane with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta said FluMist was off the market for two years, because it was not as effective as the flu shot.
But now it’s back with a new formula.
“It will have better effectiveness and provide better protection,” Shane said. “What has happened is the intranasal vaccine has been reformulated and so here is the hope.”
There are 16 confirmed flu cases in Georgia right now.
While the CDC labeled flu activity in the state "minimal," we have more cases than surrounding states like Florida and Alabama.
Last year’s deadly flu season was devastating, and the shot vaccine turned out to be only 40 percent effective.
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But doctors said even if the strain is not a perfect match, vaccines can make a child’s flu less severe.
"Everyone over 6 months of age needs a flu vaccine to protect against flu. Period. Period," Shane said.
If the nasal vaccine sounds like the right choice for your family: you may have to go looking for it.
Channel 2 Action News had to call around to find it. We found several dozen doses at Tuxedo Pharmacy in northeast Atlanta.
A lot of doctors didn’t order the nasal vaccine before flu season started.
Cox Media Group
