The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first nasal flu vaccine that can be administered at home. People can order the vaccine from pharmacies and administer it themselves without the need for a health care provider.

FluMist, a nasal spray manufactured by AstraZeneca, will not be available for the upcoming respiratory virus season, CNN reported. While FluMist has been used to protect against influenza in the U.S. since 2003, it’s currently only available in pharmacies and other health care settings for those 2 to 49-year-old with a prescription. While a prescription is still required to receive FluMist, people now have two approved options for receiving FluMist. The vaccine may be administered by a health care provider in a health care setting (including a pharmacy) or it may be administered by the vaccine recipient or a caregiver who is 18 years of age or older. 

“Today’s approval of the first influenza vaccine for self- or caregiver-administration provides a new option for receiving a safe and effective seasonal influenza vaccine potentially with greater convenience, flexibility, and accessibility for individuals and families,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “Getting vaccinated each year is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness in a substantial proportion of the U.S. population every year and may result in serious complications, including hospitalization and death. This approval adds another option for vaccination against influenza disease and demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to advancing public health.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu has resulted in about 9.3 million to 41 million illnesses, 100,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 4,900 to 51,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2023. Numerous FDA-approved vaccines are available each flu season to prevent influenza.

Whooping cough, also called pertussis, cases are five times higher than they were at the same point last year, according to preliminary data presented on Sept. 14 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC recorded that 14,569 cases of whooping cough had been confirmed so far this year, which is a significant increase compared to last year’s total of 3,475 cases.

The U.S. recorded the greatest number of whooping cough infections since 2014. Dr. Susan Hariri of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said whopping cough, which is a bacterial infection, is showing no indication of slowing down.

Many health experts believe the growing number of cases can be attributed to post-COVID-19 pandemic vaccine fatigue, NBC News reported. While babies are often given the DTap vaccine, which protects against three diseases—pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus—the vaccine has show less effectiveness for pertussis over time. Advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration met Friday to discuss the need for more robust and longer-lasting versions of the whooping cough vaccine.

Currently, pertussis boosters are recommended about every 10 years, starting in the tween years. Tweens and teens whose immunity against whooping cough has decreased are driving outbreaks in many states, experts said. Health experts also believe the number of actual whooping cough cases is much higher as many don’t seek medical attention.

Currently, global pertussis vaccine coverage is approximately 86%, according to the World Health Organization.