Two different COVID-19 vaccines administered through nasal spray will start human trials in Thailand before the end of the year, the Thai government a

The race to develop COVID vaccines in nasal spray form

submited by

Style Pass

2021-08-19 00:00:08

Two different COVID-19 vaccines administered through nasal spray will start human trials in Thailand before the end of the year, the Thai government announced this week. Other countries are also racing to develop nasal sprays to help prevent and treat COVID-19, including Canada.

Experts say nasal spray vaccines could be an effective approach against COVID because the virus typically enters the body through the nasal passage. “Given that [COVID] is a respiratory virus, having an antibody response in the nose is probably a better model” than typical vaccines, Dr. Troy Randall, an inflammation, immunology, and immunotherapeutics researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, told Healthline. The virus’ entry through the nose is also why COVID testing involves nasal swabs.

The Thai vaccines, which have been successful in trials on mice, will begin human trials once they’re approved by the food and drug authority, Reuters reported. Thailand’s deputy government spokeswoman Ratchada Thanadirek told the outlet the vaccines are based on the adenovirus and influenza.