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Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Now Available For Kids

Getting the flu shot just got a whole lot less terrifying for Ontario kids!
Three-year-old Clayton Mathiason, of Omaha, Neb., receives a dose of Swine Flu vaccine via nasal spray from nurse Amanda Stern at Physician's Clinic, affiliated with Omaha's Methodist Health System, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
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Three-year-old Clayton Mathiason, of Omaha, Neb., receives a dose of Swine Flu vaccine via nasal spray from nurse Amanda Stern at Physician's Clinic, affiliated with Omaha's Methodist Health System, in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Getting the flu shot just got a whole lot less terrifying for kids!

On Monday, Ontario introduced a new nasal spray flu vaccine as an alternative to the injection. The spray is now available for children aged two to 17 and offers protection against four flu viruses instead of three.

“The flu nasal spray is a good option for children who don’t like getting needles, and it provides broader protection by protecting against four strains of the flu,” said Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “We want to make it as easy and convenient as possible for parents to protect their kids, and all Ontarians, by getting their kids vaccinated against the flu.”

While the shot in the arm only protects against three flu viruses, the nasal spray also protects against the B-strain of the flu that affects kids more frequently than adults.

According to the Ministry of Health, 20 per cent of Canadians get sick with the flu every year, sending 12,000 people to the hospital and killing 3,500 people per year.

To learn more about kids and the flu shot, flip through the slideshow below.

Babies under six months don't get the flu shot.

11 Things You Need To Know About Kids And The Flu Shot

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