India finally sees receding cases of Covid-19 and now the authorities are speeding up to vaccinate people and protect them from the third wave of the deadly virus. Efforts are being ramped up for the massive production of vaccines and make them available in the shortest possible time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that research on nasal spray is underway, and if it gets successful then it will boost India’s vaccination drive.
What is a Nasal Vaccine?
A nasal vaccine is given by the nose, rather than a needle through your arm. Its target is to directly deliver the dose to the respiratory pathway, much like a nasal spray.
Last year, scientists had developed a vaccine against Covid-19 that can be given in one dose via the nose and is effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to the novel coronavirus, an advance that may lead to protective candidates that can curb the pandemic. A study published in the journal Cell noted that unlike these, the one delivered via the nose targets the initial site of infection, and causes a more widespread immune response.
A few days ago, World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan also said that trials to produce nasal vaccines are underway in India, and this “could be a game-changer for children.” BBV154, an intranasal vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech, is already in the pre-clinical trial phase.
Advantages of Nasal Vaccine?
According to NDTV, some benefits that make this kind of vaccine stand apart include the fact that this is a non-invasive vaccine. This means that there are no needles required to take the dose of this vaccine and it does not need health workers to administer.
According to a study from the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, the intranasal vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, which means it uses a weakened form of the germ.
How Does Nasal Vaccine Works?
Dr Vipin M. Vashishtha, former convener, IAP Committee on Immunisation, and the pediatrician told Business Insider that a significant advantage of intranasal vaccines is that it creates a robust immune response at the site of virus entry — the nose. This helps in shielding against the virus and transmission. If the virus can be stopped from entering at this point, it will not be able to get into the lungs to cause damage. If an effective mucosal immune response is generated, it would possibly prevent the coronavirus infection from the outset and more effectively reduce transmission of the virus.
Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine
Currently, Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine candidate is under Phase I trials. According to the manufacturer, as per the reports, the intranasal vaccine BBV154 creates an immune response at the site of infection (in the nasal mucosa). This helps to block both infection and transmission of Covid-19.
Bharat Biotech, which also manufactures Covaxin, is expected to roll out ten crore doses of its nasal vaccine by the end of the year, as per the reports.
How is it Different From Existing COVID-19 Vaccination?
According to studies, both COVID-19 shot and nasal spray work. The nasal spray is usually preferred for children but for adults too doctors found that the nasal spray works just as well as the flu shot.