UK, US teams begin trials of COVID-19 nasal spray vaccines
Scientists at Oxford University in the UK will test whether the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine can be administered through a nasal spray, after a US company launched a trial of its own spray in the UK.
It is hoped that sprays, which are already used to give children flu vaccines, may prove superior to injections in targeting immune cells more susceptible to respiratory viruses in the future, concentrating on the lungs, throat and nose.
They may also alleviate issues for people with a fear of needles, and ease supply problems owing to the complexity of manufacturing, transporting and storing jabs.
The Oxford team is planning for 30 volunteers to receive the spray and then be tracked for four months in the initial stage of the trial, before expanding the scale if found to be safe.
