Australia’s active vaccine safety system
New Australian data confirm that the live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) – a needle-free nasal spray – has a positive short-term safety profile in young children and adolescents, supporting its use as an alternative to traditional injectable inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV).
Published by Australia’s active vaccine safety system, AusVaxSafety, the analysis provides the first Australian real-world safety findings for LAIV since its introduction in Australia for the 2026 influenza season.
AusVaxSafety epidemiologists analysed data from 750 Australian children aged 2 to less than 5 years vaccinated with LAIV between 23 March and 10 May 2026.
Lead AusVaxSafety Epidemiologist, Dr Thuy Nguyen, said the reported rates of adverse events, medical attendance (seeing a doctor) and impacts on daily activities following administration of LAIV in young children were similar to those reported for IIV.
‘More than three-quarters of [survey] participants aged 2 to less than 5 years reported no adverse events following nasal spray influenza vaccination, which was similar to the reported rate in young children who had injectable vaccines.
‘Among young children who did experience symptoms after the nasal spray vaccination, mild respiratory symptoms – such as a runny or stuffy nose – or fatigue were the most commonly reported,’ Dr Nguyen noted.
Fewer than 1 in 100 parents (0.9%) reported taking their child aged 2 to less than 5 years to see a doctor in the 3 days following LAIV, compared with 0.2% parents of young children who received IIV.
Impacts on young children’s daily activities were also uncommon. Just 4% of parents reported that LAIV affected their child’s usual activities, slightly higher than that reported for children who received IIV (2%).
Early data from 445 older children and adolescents aged 5 to less than 18 years who received LAIV showed a similar safety profile to that observed in the younger cohort (2 to less than 5 years).
Associate Director at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Professor Nick Wood, said LAIV has been used safely in northern hemisphere countries for more than a decade.
‘Parents can be reassured that Australian real-world data reflects the strong safety profile seen internationally.
‘These early real-world safety data support the use of the nasal spray influenza vaccine as a safe, well-tolerated needle-free alternative for Australian children and adolescents, especially as we head into winter in the next few months,’ Professor Wood concluded.
Australia is committed to ongoing vaccine safety through robust monitoring. AusVaxSafety actively monitors all newly introduced vaccines in Australia to ensure they perform as safely in real‑world use as they did in clinical trials, providing timely safety information to the public.
To collect data, AusVaxSafety distributes a short online survey via SMS or email to individuals – or parents/carers of children – who received LAIV at a participating AusVaxSafety site across Australia, allowing participants to report any adverse events they or their child may have experienced following immunisation.
LAIV is approved in Australia for children aged 2 to less than 18 years. It is available nationwide for a fee via private prescription and is provided free to eligible children in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia under state programs. IIVs are approved for everyone aged 6 months and over, with free access for eligible groups through the National Immunisation Program and state programs.
View the 2 to less than 5 years LAIV safety data
View the 5 to less than 18 years LAIV safety data
