A new study found that military personnel who were taught to give themselves nasal spray flu vaccinations had the same level of immunity as those who were given the vaccine by health professionals.

This is a huge step forward for MedImmune’s nasal spray vaccine, FluMist, which is the preferred method of vaccination for most healthy kids aged two to eight years. However, don’t expect to be giving it to your own child anytime soon. The nasal spray may be (relatively) easy to administer, but there are still some risk factors involved.

“It’s a very interesting concept and I can definitely see some benefits” says Dr. Jonathan Temte who heads a panel that advises the CDC on vaccine policy. “Before anyone could endorse this in children, one would have to have an appropriately designed study that shows equal efficacy, equal safety, and then the acceptability.”

In this case, safety is key. Self-vaccination with FluMist isn’t as easy as it sounds, and vaccinating children is more of a science than simply spraying something up their noses. While everyone over six months old should get a flu shot, according to the CDC, special vaccination guidelines apply to children when they receive their first vaccination, and medical history should always be reviewed before a vaccine is administered.

The nasal vaccine is also a little trickier to apply than a nasal spray you might be accustomed to using for allergies, for example. Health workers that administer the vaccine need to be sure that it has fully entered the nose and that children, and parents too, don’t squirt it out of their nose.

Whether self-vaccination will become something more common in the future is unknown due to regulatory guidelines and a lack of testing, and, as Dr. Temte put it, we are still a long way from anything definitive. However, the topic is certainly an interesting one.

So, we want to hear from you! Would you vaccinate yourself, or would you prefer the help of a professional? Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know what you would choose to do!

We all know what to look for with a phony advertisement.

Whether it’s a pop-up guaranteeing dangerously fast weight loss or an email with a scheme to make millions quick, the signs are obvious.

But, what about a fake cure?

Most fake cures seem obvious. There’s no way violin music or charcoal powder can remedy a disease.

But, when diseases like Zika and Ebola spread, it’s harder to ignore a possible lifesaver.

Just because the ailment is different does not mean the authenticity is any better. Here are five dangerous fake cures to stay away from while planning your trip:

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Millions of people get the flu shot every year.

One of the most frequently asked questions is, “Why do I need to have the flu shot each year?” There’s also the question of, “Why isn’t it available in a few doses like other vaccines?”

Let’s take a closer look at available scientific research to address these questions.

The influenza virus is easily transmitted between people, and creates the possibility of a much worse disease to develop. The flu shot is a vital weapon to protect the population from this highly contagious virus.

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The holidays, cold weather and the flu. It’s an unfortunate combination, but all these things come around toward the end of the year.

And with the flu season in tow, there are also many myths involving the virus that people believe. Here are five of the most common flu myths about the virus and why you shouldn’t believe them:

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You may have heard the phrase “herd immunity” when told why vaccinations are important. Not only does the method help those that are vaccinated, but can also keep diseases away from people without immunizations. The concept of herd immunity can be the best solution to prevent disease outbreaks.

But, what is it?

Herd immunity is the concept of protecting an entire community against a disease. This is done when the vast majority of the community is immune to a pathogen. As a result, the chance of a disease outbreak in the area decreases dramatically.

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As we commemorate George Washington’s birthday today, it is interesting to note a little known fact about the first president: George Washington was one of the first political leaders to recognize the positive impact vaccines have.

A new book titled Gentleman Scientists and Revolutionaries: The Founding Fathers in the Age of Enlightenment by Tom Shachtman explains how George Washington pushed for his soldiers and the population at large to be vaccinated against smallpox during the Revolutionary War. At the time, however, this advocacy represented was a very radical position. There was no traditional vaccine at the time. Instead, a technique called variolation was used to promote disease immunity.

The practice of variolation called for the pus from an infected individual being inserted under the skin of an uninfected person. This would give the receiver a very mild case of the disease and, after surviving the mild case of the disease, the person would then be immune. It was a procedure that many founding fathers had gone through themselves, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as well as Martha Washington.

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Most people have an understandable fear of contracting rabies. This doesn’t mean all the ideas and anxiety toward rabies is founded. In fact, there are many misconceptions about what the virus actually is.

Rabies is a virus that’s transmitted from animals to humans through the the genus Lyssavirus, according to the World Health Organization.

There is a myth that rabies is usually transferred through rodents, but according to the WHO, 95 percent of deaths transfer via dogs.

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An illness that was first discovered around 430 BC, typhoid has harmed and killed millions of people throughout history. The foodborne ailment claimed the lives of one-third of the Athenian population; many settlers in the English colony at Jamestown, VA; over six-thousand New World settlers; and countless soldiers in multiple wars. But, typhoid is just one of many foodborne killers. Indeed, hepatitis A also presents a significant threat. Also known as heptovirus A, this virus infects more than 1.4 million people each year.

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Influenza, Ebola, malaria, measles; all of these infections have unique and important names.  But, where do they come from? To paraphrase the Bard, “What’s in a name? / that which we call the flu / By any other name would still stink.”

When it comes to viruses, a name can be extremely important. Many are named for what they do.  Chickenpox is believed to have been named for either its root giccan, a Latin word meaning to itch which could be confused with chicken.  However, many scholars believe it derives its name from the pox marks themselves, considering that the word used for the disease in many Arab countries is hummus and in Spain, garbanzo, both of which are associated with chickpeas.
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Flu season is upon us again, and it is time to protect your health and the health of those you love. You know a seasonal flu shot is the best means of preventing the flu each flu season, but for senior populations this shot may not provide adequate protection. Therefore, if you or someone you love is over 65 years old, consider the Fluzone High Dose Flu Shot this year.

Fluzone High Dose is the only flu shot specifically formulated for people over 65. Indeed, studies have shown that the traditional, seasonal flu shot does not prevent the flu as well in senior populations as it does in younger people. As the body ages, the immune system gets weaker. This means the body’s ability to bounce back from disease decreases with age as well. A weakened immune system can have very serious complications during flu season.
Seniors are more likely than their younger counterparts to have existing health problems, and the flu is more likely to cause serious complications, hospitalization, or even death when someone is already unwell.

Thousands of people (between 3,000 to 49,000 in particularly bad years) die from the flu each season in the US alone. Almost 90% of these deaths occur in people over age 65.

For these reasons, it is crucial that seniors take extra care of their health. After consulting with a healthcare professional to determine if this vaccine is appropriate given specific health issues or allergies, seniors should consider the only flu vaccine made specifically for them.

Remember, even a mild case of the flu results in ample unpleasantness: coughing, sore throat, fever, chills, headache and more. However, it is possible to prevent all of these nasty symptoms and more. According the CDC, the best means of preventing the flu each season is with a seasonal flu shot. With Fluzone High Dose, there is now a flu vaccine specially designed for the population most at risk of serious flu-related complications.