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In case you may have forgotten, we are still under siege from COVID-19.
The world is currently waiting for a viable vaccine to help put an end to the pandemic, but that comes with limitations and looming issues. There is the matter of making it readily available to low-income areas. There is also the growing anti-vaccination movement that is also going to be a large hurdle to overcome. But there might be an alternative in the form of a nasal spray that might possibly be a game-changer.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a nasal spray that successfully blocked COVID-19. According to the published report, they tested the nasal spray in ferrets and a 3D model of the human lungs. The nasal spray is a lipopeptide (a combination of lipid and peptide). It works to prevent the coronavirus from taking shape by blocking the virus from fusing with the membrane of a target cell by stopping a key protein from taking shape. According to the report, the nasal spray should work immediately and protect the user for 24 hours. The nasal spray would also be affordable, doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and will last a long time.
Unfortunately, it is still a long way off from reach the public’s hands. There has to be large scale human clinical trials and, of course, production on a massive scale to make sure there it is easily accessible. Columbia states that scientists are planning to “rapidly advance” testing.
This is welcoming news, especially for people who cannot take vaccines or are wary of getting vaccinated, assuring them they are being protected. It also could help bring an end to the pandemic quicker. According to researchers Anne Moscona and Matteo Porotto, the nasal spray could serve as a”complement” in places where the vaccine will be widely available.
The nasal spray sounds promising, and now with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, who has made it very clear that their mission is to help the country get past this pandemic, we hope advancements such as this nasal spray become a reality along with a vaccine to help stamp out COVID-19.
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