As we all know, that Covid has evolved to be more transmissible and still infecting a number of people all around the world. Although the current variety of vaccines is able to reduce the fatal effect of this virus but are still impotent in halting its constant transmission.
To deal with this situation, scientists have come to a point that to improve the shielding against the SARS CoV2 virus, the use of nasal sprays or drops could be more effective than the current jab doses.
They are saying that the uncontrolled transmission of covid can be best ceased with the use of nasal vaccines such as sprays or drops. It will put a halt to the transmission of covid infection.
According to scientists, nasal Covid vaccines could be the next best thing and there is nothing wrong with this statement because if these spray vaccines worked out then it would solve the issue which was faced worldwide.
Yale’s infection disease researcher, Mr. Benjamin Goldman Israelow said, the use of nasal vaccines is like having a protector behind the gate of the castle versus the front gate’s protector. Which one is more suitable? Of Course, the idea of putting the guards at the front gate will be more effective.
Nasal vaccines begin their action just where the Covid virus enters the body—the mucosal lining of the nose and mouth. As soon as they enter, they will hastily prime the immune system to combat and thwart the Covid virus.
It is believed that these vaccines are going to stop even the mildest infection symptoms and are going to put a full stop to the spreading of this virus and help in attaining sterilizing immunity.
Normal Vaccine Versus Nasal Vaccine
The currently used vaccines which are injected in the muscles are on their journey to decrease the severity of the infection and are allowing most of the patients to recover without the need of getting hospitalized but the main issue with them is that they are ineffective in putting a cease to its diffusion.
The chief reason behind this must be that, as it is injected intramuscularly, it starts to work as defense through our blood streams which take a specific time to reach at the dominant spot of infection, which is the nose’s mucosal lining.
The time taken by the vaccines becomes the golden time for the virus to infect the person and then the infected person spreads the disease to others as well.
On the other hand, the nasal or we can say mucosal vaccines start their work from the main point where the virus first attacks, that is the nose’s mucus membrane. They will activate the nose and respiratory tract immune cells present in its mucosal tissue.
In this way, the nasal vaccine can act more quickly. They have the ability to give the whole body immunity along with the activation of localized immune cells( mucus tissue’s immune cells).
In general, localized mucosal immune cells, known as the memory T and memory B cells are slightly different in function from the circulating T and B cells in a way that the earlier one has more power to stop the effect of any pathogen but it is not clear in case of Covid virus.
It is not completely safe to state that nasal vaccines are the greatest option for preventing Covid transmission, though.
Dr. Samuel Wu, Cyan Vac Company’s interim chief medical officer said, said that the blockage of transmission in a complete or near complete way would be preferable to be on the safer side.
As we don’t know the effectiveness of these nasal vaccines, Samuel Wu has decided to take the phase 2 trial dose.
Some Nasal Vaccines Used In The Past To Deal With Different Diseases
The most widely used nasal spray is used for influenza which works by weakening the influenza virus present in the mucosal lining. It worked without any side effects.
In 1990, Switzerland used a nasal vaccine to treat the intranasal flu but withdrew it fastly after some people with significant cases of facial paralysis were diagnosed after taking the vaccine.
When Are Nasal Vaccines Becoming Available For Use?
According to a health analytics corporation in London named Airfinity, globally almost 100 nasal vaccines for covid are under development and around 20 of them have clinically tested on humans at least 4 are in Iran, India and 2 in China are under phase 3 studies to test the safety and secureness of them.
Summary
Nasal vaccines are the new hope of scientists for stopping the uncontrolled spread of the covid virus in 2020. With full optimism, scientists are checking the mucosal vaccines on people and are fully confident that they will work in putting a full stop to this contagious cycle.
Since scientists are not completely sure about its working, they are holding trials for checking.
FAQs
They are spray or droplet type vaccines, put in the nose.
Scientists are working on it and are fully confident but waiting for confirmation of its authentic working.
Mucosal vaccine.
They are unable to stop covid transmission.
No
