Patients could get at-home flu vaccine as early as next year
(KSTP) — It’s that time of year — time to get your flu shots. But next year, you could get vaccinated for the flu at home.
Just last month, the FDA approved FluMist, a nasal-spray flu vaccine that can be done at home.
The at-home FluMist vaccine will be for patients ages 2 to 49 years old. Patients can place an order online, complete a medical questionnaire, select delivery/payment options and the FluMist will be delivered to your home. Home delivery is anticipated to be available for the 2025-2026 flu season.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, so far, only about 13% of all Minnesotans had been vaccinated for the flu by mid-October this year.
“I’m optimistic this will increase our flu vaccine coverage,” said Dr. Anne Frosch with Hennepin Healthcare.
Frosch says they are already getting a lot of questions from eager patients about the at-home FluMist, and she hopes that the convenience of an at-home option could raise vaccination rates.
“I think there is a large group of people who want a vaccine but just don’t have time to go to a facility or into a pharmacy to get it,” she said.
The current out-of-pocket cost for FluMist is about $40. It’s too early to say how insurance plans will cover this new option.