NSW Expands Needle-Free Flu Vaccine for Kid
07 Apr 2026
GPs say the new option is making flu shots much easier and less stressful for both kids and parents.
The nasal spray, called FluMist, has recently been launched at the clinic of RACGP NSW&ACT Chair Dr Rebekah Hoffman. It is expected to encourage more children aged 2–4 years to get vaccinated ahead of this year’s flu season.
‘Parents and kids are really excited that it’s not a needle,’ Dr Hoffman told newsGP. ‘My son is very needle phobic, so he loved getting the nasal spray last weekend. From a parent’s perspective, from a child’s perspective, and from a GP’s perspective, this is really exciting.’
GPs are advising families to act fast, as the current batch of nasal spray vaccines will expire in June and supply is limited. Children getting the vaccine for the first time will need two doses, four weeks apart.
‘It’s much easier to bring kids back for their second dose with the nasal spray than with the needle,’ Dr Hoffman said. ‘There’s no pain or soreness afterward, so kids are more willing to come back.’
NSW joins Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia in offering FluMist, which is approved for children aged 2 to under 18 years. In NSW, the vaccine is free for children aged 2–4 years as part of the National Immunisation Program.
The nasal spray is already popular overseas. ‘In the UK, they’ve been using it for almost 20 years, and both parents and kids prefer it over injections,’ Dr Hoffman said. ‘We hope it will eventually be available for older children too.’
The free flu vaccine injection is still available for:
- Children aged six months to five years
- Pregnant women
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and over
- Anyone aged 65 and over
- Immunocompromised people
https://www1.racgp.org.au/
Source: newsGP