WILMINGTON, Del. — AstraZeneca has launched FluMist Home, a new at-home delivery service for FLUMIST (Influenza Vaccine Live, Intranasal), making it the first FDA-approved seasonal flu vaccine in the United States that can be self-administered by adults ages 18 to 49 or given by a parent or caregiver to children ages 2 to 17.
FLUMIST, first approved in 2003, offers a needle-free alternative to traditional flu shots. Through FluMist Home, eligible individuals complete a medical screening reviewed by a licensed healthcare provider. Once approved and insurance is verified, the vaccine is shipped directly to the home in temperature-controlled packaging with instructions for storage, administration, and disposal.
Joris Silon, U.S. country president and senior vice president at AstraZeneca, called the launch “a transformational moment in the evolution of influenza protection,” saying it expands accessibility and convenience for seasonal flu vaccination.
The announcement follows a severe 2024–25 flu season in the U.S., which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported as the most serious since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, with an estimated 610,000 hospitalizations and 27,000 deaths.
Health experts say the at-home option could help boost declining vaccination rates, particularly among younger populations. “This first-of-its-kind, at-home, needle-free option offers a critical opportunity to make protection more accessible and better aligned with the realities of people’s lives,” said Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at Northwestern University School of Medicine.
The program is available in 34 states this flu season, covering about 80 percent of eligible individuals. AstraZeneca plans to expand it to the contiguous United States in future seasons. FLUMIST will also remain available through doctors’ offices and pharmacies nationwide.
