Vaccine spray may not work for swine flu in kids

Vaccine spray may not work for swine flu in kids
This July 24, 2013 file photo shows the AstraZeneca logo on the company's building in Shanghai, China. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014, reacting to startling new data that the nasal spray vaccine made by AstraZeneca was ineffective last winter against swine flu. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Health officials say the nasal spray version of the flu vaccine did not protect young children against swine flu last winter and might not work again this year.

Preliminary results from studies found that AstraZeneca's FluMist had little or no effect against in young kids. That was the most common bug making people sick last winter.

Why it didn't work isn't clear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it's possible the spray vaccine won't work again for swine flu this season.

But officials say the spray is still OK to use. Though the is just getting started, early tracking suggests swine flu won't be a big player this year. Other strains are expected to be the major threat and the vaccine works against those.

© 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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