Know All About Nasal Covid Vaccine, Its Benefits And Effects

A nasal vaccine is injected through the nose rather than through the arm. Nasal spray can provide effective protection against Coronavirus variants.

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that research on a nasal Covid-19 vaccine is underway in the country, and if successful, the vaccination process will be accelerated.

India is finally seeing a drop in Covid-19 cases, and officials are working hard to vaccinate people and protect them from the deadly virus's third wave. Efforts are being increased to mass produce vaccines and make them available as soon as possible.

What is Nasal Vaccine? 

A nasal vaccine is a vaccine that is administered through the nose without the use of a needle. It stimulates immunity via the inner surface of the nose, which is in constant contact with many airborne microbes.

Last year, scientists developed a vaccine against Covid-19 that could be given in a single dose via the nose and was effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to the novel coronavirus, a breakthrough that many hoped would lead to protective candidates that could halt the pandemic.

Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization's (WHO) chief scientist, recently stated that trials to produce nasal vaccines are currently underway in India, and that this "could be a game-changer for children." Bharat Biotech's intranasal vaccine, BBV154, is already in the pre-clinical trial stage.

Benefits of Nasal Vaccine

According to health experts, one of the advantages that distinguishes this type of vaccine is that it is non-invasive. This means that no needles are required to take the dose of this vaccine, and no health workers are required to administer it.

The intranasal vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, which means it uses a weakened form of the germ, according to a study from the University of Washington's School of Medicine.

How does the Vaccine work? 

Dr. Vipin M. Vashishtha, a paediatrician and former convener of the IAP Committee on Immunisation, told Business Insider that one significant advantage of intranasal vaccines is that they generate a strong immune response at the site of virus entry — the nose. This aids in the protection against virus transmission. If the virus is prevented from entering at this point, it will not be able to cause damage to the lungs. If an effective mucosal immune response is generated, it may be possible to prevent coronavirus infection from the start and more effectively reduce virus transmission.

Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine

Bharat Biotech's nasal vaccine candidate is currently in Phase I trials. According to the manufacturer, the intranasal vaccine BBV154 induces an immune response at the site of infection, according to reports (in the nasal mucosa). This helps in the prevention of Covid-19 infection and transmission.

According to reports, Bharat Biotech, which also manufactures Covaxin, plans to distribute ten crore doses of its nasal vaccine by the end of the year.

What Makes It Unique From Existing COVID-19 Vaccination?

According to research, both the COVID-19 shot and the nasal spray are effective. Although nasal spray is typically preferred for children, doctors have discovered that it works just as well as the flu shot for adults.