In a bid to address declining vaccination rates, hundreds of thousands of children will now have access to a new, painless flu vaccination option without the need for needles. This initiative is being rolled out by several state governments.

New South Wales has joined the ranks of Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia in offering a nasal spray flu vaccine free of charge for children. This innovative method sees the vaccine administered through a simple spray into each nostril, providing a gentle and stress-free experience that may ease parental concerns about vaccinations.

Ryan Park, the health minister of New South Wales, expressed understanding of the anxiety that can accompany traditional vaccinations for children. “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,” Park stated on Tuesday.

The availability of this needle-free vaccine varies by state. In New South Wales and South Australia, it is accessible for children aged two to four. Queensland extends this offering to children between two and five years old, while Western Australia provides it for those aged two to 11.

This nasal spray vaccine holds significant potential in boosting flu vaccination rates among children, helping to counteract the current downward trend and protect public health more effectively.

The spray could play a key role in reinvigorating languishing flu vaccine numbers.

The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over six months but vaccination rates for those under five – who are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell from the flu – have dropped significantly since 2020.

By September 2025, only 25.7% of children under five had received a flu jab compared with 44.6% in 2020, according to the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

Less than a quarter of this demographic were vaccinated in NSW in 2025, far below the 40% target set in the state’s 2024-28 immunisation strategy.

There were more than 24,500 cases of influenza in children under five in NSW during the previous flu season.

Emergency departments across the state received more than 4,600 presentations for influenza-like illness in children under five in 2025, and more than 960 hospital admissions.

This marked a 40% increase in both presentations and admissions.

Though the nasal spray is available to anyone in Australia over two and under 18, those who do not live in NSW, SA, WA or Queensland, or are not within the funded age ranges, would have to pay about $50 to $70 for the vaccination.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victoria has called for free access to the spray to be expanded to lift vaccine uptake and help ease pressure on the state’s hospitals.

The traditional flu jab remains free for children aged six months to under five as well as pregnant women, Aboriginal people aged six months and over, anyone over 65 and those with serious health conditions.