The vaccine FluMist, manufactured by MedImmune, which was acquired by AstraZeneca in 2007, was first approved by the FDA in 2003 for individuals between five and 49 years of age. Its approval has since been expanded to include children as young as two years old.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it has approved AstraZeneca's nasal spray flu vaccine for self-administration, making it the first of its kind.

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the first at-home flu vaccine, a nasal spray that consumers with a prescription will be able to order online starting next year. Health experts say the convenience of the spray — FluMist — could lead to increased flu vaccination rates.