Did You Know? Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Receives a Recommendation Preference

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Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently expressed a preference for using the nasal spray version of the influenza vaccine — over the shot — in healthy children between the ages of 2 and 8 years old. Because the nasal spray influenza vaccine contains live, weakened viruses that are able to reproduce modestly in the lining of the nose, but not in the lungs, recipients typically benefit from a better immune response than those who got the influenza shot, which contains dead viruses. However if the nasal spray version is not immediately available, the shot version should be given so that children have the best chance of being protected when influenza enters their school or community.

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