Kids to be spared flu needle

KIDS under five years of age could be given a new “sniff” vaccine to ward off the flu and help them escape the trauma of having a needle.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer is assessing whether a new nasal spray flu vaccine should be included on the National Immunisation Program ahead of next year’s winter flu season.

Professor Brendan Murphy said he would await clinical evidence from the US and UK and Australia “would seriously look at bringing it here” if research proved its efficacy.

It comes as Victoria’s Health Minister Jill Hennessy will join other state counterparts at a COAG meeting today to ask federal Health Minister Greg Hunt to fund a national flu immunisation program for children, in the wake of the worst flu season on record.