Children to get free flu vaccine via nasal spray in NSW, with minister spruiking ‘needle-free alternative’

NSW follows Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia in offering free treatments for kids four and under, saving up to $70 Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Hundreds of thousands of children will be able to access a painless, needle-free flu vaccination for free as governments attempt to curb falling vaccine rates. New South Wales has become the latest state to offer a nasal spray flu vaccine to children for free, following Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The needle-less vaccine is applied with one spray into each nostril, making it a gentle and painless option that could make it easier for parents to get their children vaccinated. “I know how unsettling it can be for some parents taking a child to receive a vaccine, so being able to offer a needle-free alternative is a real win for those parents,” the NSW health minister, Ryan Park, said on Tuesday. NSW and SA are providing the treatment free for children aged two to four inclusive. Queensland is offering it to those between two and five, and WA is funding it for kids aged two to 11. The spray could play a key role in r