Which flu vaccines are available?

Flu vaccines for the 2024-2025 influenza season are now available. All vaccines are trivalent, and will protect against an H1N1, H3N2 and a B/Victoria lineage virus. This season's vaccine has been updated with a new influenza A(H3N2) virus. It is safe to receive COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same visit.

The flu vaccines available in the 2024-2025 season include:

• The trivalent vaccines Afluria, Fluarix, Flucelvax, FluLaval, Fluzone - all approved for individuals 6 months of age or older. Except, Flucelvax, these are all inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV3s) injections that are egg-based. Flucelvax is egg-culture based. Afluria from the multi-dose vial can be given with the Stratis needle-free jet injector in people 18 to 64 years of age.

• FluMist is a live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4) nasal spray vaccine for ages 2 to 49 years old, and contains egg proteins. This vaccine may not be recommended for use in pregnant people, immunocompromised people, or people with certain medical conditions. Talk to your doctor to determine if FluMist is right for you or your child. FluMist for self- or caregiver administration, while approved, is not expected to be available until the 2025-2026 influenza season. It will still require a prescription.

• Three vaccines options are available in 2024-2025 for people 65 years of age and older and include: Fluzone High Dose, an inactivated, egg-based injection and Fluad, a standard dose, adjuvanted-egg-based injection. An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines that helps it to work better: it creates a stronger immune response in people receiving the vaccine. Flublok, a recombinant formulation is also recommended for the 65+ age group.

• Egg-free vaccines include: Flublok, a recombinant formulation, is used in adults 18 years and older. It’s inactivated but not an egg-based vaccine. It is one of 3 options preferred for ≥65 years. Flucelvax injection can be used in those 6 months and older. It's cell culture-based and inactivated but contains no egg proteins.

Note: Quadrivalent vaccines containing influenza B/Yamagata will not be available in 2024-2025 because naturally occurring B/Yamagata viruses in global surveillance have not been detected since March, 2020.

Check with your pharmacy to determine which vaccines they have available and in stock.

This is not all the information you need to know about the 2024-2025 influenza vaccine for safe and effective use and does not take the place of your doctor’s directions. Review the full product information and discuss this information and any questions you have with your doctor or other health care provider.