Both the flu shot and nasal spray vaccine are acceptable for children during the 2019-20 flu season, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced March 14.
Three things to know:
1. The AAP and the CDC discouraged using the nasal spray during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 flu seasons. The groups cited concerns about the spray's effectiveness against H1N1, which had been the predominant flu strain during both seasons.
2. AAP recommended using the flu shot as the primary method of vaccination for children during the current flu season, but noted the nasal spray was OK for some children.
3. AAP updated its recommendation for the upcoming season after examining flu season characteristics and reviewing new data on vaccine coverage and effectiveness from the U.K . While U.K. data differs from U.S. data, officials said the data was encouraging. The AAP also looked at data involving a reformulated version of the nasal spray vaccine, which has proven more effective against H1N1.
4. The CDC's flu shot recommendations, which will be released in June, will likely be similar to AAP's guidance, the group said.
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