- Flu Vaccine Information
Are Flu Vaccines Live or Attenuated?
Posted on July 1, 2022
Most flu vaccines are not live or attenuated. Live means that the virus is not dead, and attenuated means that the virus is weakened but still alive.
The live attenuated flu vaccine contains a version of the flu virus that is “alive” but weakened so that it cannot reproduce and make you sick. Rather, it protects against future flu infections by creating antibodies. The only live attenuated flu vaccine is the nasal spray vaccine, which is injected up the nose and doesn’t require a needle.
While the live attenuated flu vaccine is a great option for those who qualify because there is no needle needed, the fact that the virus is live but weakened means some people shouldn’t receive it. Live viruses pose a risk to people who are pregnant and/or immunocompromised. Instead, they should get the injected flu vaccine because it contains inactivated (dead) flu virus.
Who does not qualify to get the nasal spray flu vaccine?
- Children younger than 2 years old
- Adults 50 years and older
- People with asthma
- People with heart disease
- People with diabetes
- People with lung disease
- People with cancer
- People with weakened immune systems (immunosuppression) from any cause
- People who care for severely immunocompromised persons who require a protected environment (or otherwise avoid contact with those persons for 7 days after getting the nasal spray vaccine)
- Pregnant people
