A nasal spray that can prevent COVID-19 for up to two days has been developed by researchers in the UK – and according to the report, it may be available over the counter by summer.
The spray – developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham – prevents infection by trapping the bug in the nose and covering it in a layer from which it cannot escape, reports The Telegraph.
As a result, it would be safe for someone to exhale near another person because the virus would be inactive and harmless, the outlet said.
Dr. Richard Moakes, the study’s lead researcher, said he was confident the spraying could put an end to social restrictions and ‘get schools back on track’.
“We think it will help in schools because one of the good things about formulating the nasal spray is that it does not need to be reformulated for children,” Moakes told The Telegraph.
“If it could make it easier for the student to come back to school and re-establish education, it would be great.”
The spray contains an antiviral agent called carrageenan – also used as a thickener in food – and a solution called gelatin, a gelling agent that adheres to cells in the nose.
Gellan can be sprayed as fine drops inside the nasal cavity, where it can evenly cover the surface and stay on the delivery site rather than slipping out of the nose.
These ingredients have already been approved for medical use, which means they do not require additional approval, The Telegraph noted.
“Based on the product, it will be much faster to reach out to the user as a new means,” Moakes told the Telegraph.
‘I am confident that the wording can make an impact. Our goal is to make an impact as soon as possible. We would like to see this happen in the summer. ”
The Telegraph reports the researchers – who have been developing the spray since April 2020 – are in talks with stores and pharmaceutical giants about the next steps to manufacture it. It is unclear when or when it may be available outside the UK.
The researchers announced in November that laboratory experiments had shown that the spray spread for up to 48 hours by spreading an infection.
According to scientists, it is enough for general protection to use it four times a day, although it is safe to use it every 20 minutes in a high-risk environment, such as full schools.