The U.S. will receive an additional million doses of FluMist nasal spray this season, bringing the nation’s supply of flu vaccine to 61 million doses, health officials announced Thursday.
In making the announcement, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson repeated his earlier statements that there also is enough anti-viral medicine to treat tens of millions of Americans if they get the flu this season.
MedImmune, the maker of FluMist, notified Thompson on Thursday that it had refined its blending process and would be able to squeeze out 3 million doses.
FluMist is approved for use for healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49–including some in the priority categories for vaccination, such as health care workers, out-of-home caregivers and household contacts of children younger than 6 months old.
“We’re hoping that health care workers in direct patient care will avail themselves of the spray, letting more of those who need the shot the most be able to get it,” Thompson said.
The government hopes to secure a few million doses of injectable vaccine from other sources, he said.
David Mott, CEO of MedImmune, said FluMist would be priced at between $16 and $23.50 a dose–considerably less than last year’s $46.
“We want to become part of the solution to this crisis and also encourage use of the spray,” he said.
Flu shots generally cost $10 to $20 but are sometimes provided free by clinics, employers and others.
