Scientists Create Nasal Spray That Claims To Keep COVID-19 Away For 24 Hours
Researchers at Columbia University are working on a nasal spray that can be inhaled by individuals to get protected against the novel coronavirus.
As the days go by and 2020 gets closer to its end, the world desperately awaits the vaccine to take down the pandemic-causing coronavirus that has been like a dark eclipse in our world this year.
Representational Image: Reuters
However, even when vaccines do come out, it is engulfed in several challenges such as getting the right people vaccinated, tackling the shortage (since the entire world is awaiting the vaccine hoping it to keep them safe from the novel coronavirus) as well as its true efficacy and side-effects, among numerous other concerns.
One challenge that is prominent is the administering of the vaccines. While cities and towns with developed infrastructures don¡¯t need to worry about having access to healthcare and doctors who can administer vaccines, the same cannot be said for rural regions of the world where basic healthcare is non-existent. And self-administered vaccines require training and can cause problems too.
To circumvent this, researchers at Columbia University are working on a nasal spray that can be inhaled by individuals to get protected against the novel coronavirus. The nasal spray has successfully prevented COVID-19 infections in tests conducted with ferrets along with a 3D model of human beings.
The nasal spray has a lipid and peptide combination that prevents the novel coronavirus from attaching with a cell¡¯s membrane. It does so by blocking a key protein from transforming into a particular shape. The nasal spray starts working instantly and lasts for a full 24 hours. What¡¯s more, is that it¡¯s not as expensive to make and also requires no refrigeration.
Representational Image: Reuters
However, it goes without saying that despite the positive results it possesses currently, it still needs to go through rigorous human trials as well as be ready to produce it on a massive scale if it's effective.
However, this could surely open the world to a new option to take down the novel coronavirus. According to researchers Anne Moscona and Matteo Porotto, this vaccine could help to bridge the gap in areas where mass vaccinations won¡¯t be possible, while also complementing areas where regular vaccines are readily available.
