Nasal spray influenza vaccine for children

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Who is entitled to a free nasal spray vaccine?

Children aged between 2 and 6 years receive the Fluenz Tetra nasal spray vaccine free of charge as part of the national vaccination programme.

100,000 doses of Fluenz Tetra have been procured for the programme. This is enough for about four out of ten children aged from 2 to 6.

Injectable VaxigripTetra vaccines have also been reserved for all children entitled to a free influenza vaccine (from 6 months to 6 years).

Which vaccine is used and what does it contain?

FluenzTetra nasal spray vaccine is used in the national vaccination programme. This vaccine has only been provided for children aged from 2 to 6 years. The vaccine has been licensed for sale in Europe for children and adolescents aged over 24 months but under 18 years. 

  • The active substance contains live, attenuated influenza viruses.
  • The adjuvants are salts, purified water, saccharose, monosodium glutamate, amino acid and gelatine.
  • The vaccine contains no adjuvants or preservatives.
  • It contains a trace of gentamicin residue.
  • The residues contain very small amounts of egg protein, ovalbumin.

The viruses have been cultivated in embryonated chicken eggs.

Two strains of A virus and two B virus strains have been used to make the vaccine. The virus strains in the vaccine correspond to WHO recommendations. 

The vaccine differs from the injectable influenza vaccine in that it contains live, attenuated viruses. One A virus strain in the vaccine have been replaced since the last season.

The vaccine cannot cause influenza

The viruses in the vaccine have been attenuated, and they have lost they capacity to multiply in the warm conditions of the lower respiratory tract. The viruses multiply in the upper respiratory tract and trigger the body's defense reaction.

The vaccine affords protection against influenza and its secondary diseases. It will not protect you against a common cold.

Dosage and schedule

The dose of Fluenz Tetra vaccine is 0.2 ml and it is divided between the nostrils.

How many doses should be administered to a child who has not been vaccinated before?

Studies have shown that after a single nasal spray dose, the protection against influenza is 90% of the protection that a healthy child would develop after two doses. This is why a single dose of the vaccine is enough for a child even if they never had an influenza vaccine before. This differs from the guidelines for the injectable influenza vaccine.

Protection is developed within about two weeks. The vaccination should be given in time, preferably in November or December.

What contraindications and precautions are associated with the nasal spray vaccine?

Fluenz Tetra nasal spray vaccine may not be administered to

  • a child aged under two years
  • a person aged 18 or over
  • a person whose immune system is greatly weakened due to either an illness or its treatment
  • children receiving salicylate treatment.

Contraindications and precautions associated with influenza vaccinations

What are the benefits of the nasal spray vaccine?

The vaccine gives the best protection against influenza. It

  • prevents 5 to 8 influenza cases out of 10
  • protects children against both influenza and its secondary diseases, including pneumonia
  • reduces the need for antimicrobial treatments, visits to a physician and hospitalisations
  • prevents ear infections: during the influenza season, vaccinated children have had up to one third less ear infections than unvaccinated children.

The people close to a vaccinated child are protected indirectly: as the child avoids influenza infections, they cannot infect their family members.

The majority of those who have the vaccine avoid influenza. If a vaccination recipient contracts influenza, the disease is usually milder, and they recover faster.

What are the potential adverse effects of the nasal spray vaccine?

All vaccines may have adverse effects, but they are usually transient and only occur in a small proportion of those who are vaccinated. A child’s nose may be blocked and runny after the administration of a nasal spray vaccine.

Read more:

What are the potential adverse effects of the influenza vaccine?

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