Researchers in Germany say they've made significant strides in developing a nasal vaccine that can effectively combat COVID-19 by targeting the first point of entry for the virus: the upper airways. In a breakthrough experiment using hamsters, two doses of the live but weakened vaccine proved to be highly effective in preventing illness and achieving "sterilizing immunity." This achievement is a long-sought goal for pandemic researchers.
The new approach takes cues from older technologies that have been around since the 1870s, when scientists first began exploring ways to use weakened viruses to develop vaccines. The German team's method involves manipulating the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, rendering it harmless while still allowing the immune system to recognize and respond to it.
This new approach has sparked hope among researchers that a more effective solution can be found for combating COVID-19. Mucosal vaccines, which deliver instructions into the tissues lining the upper airways, have shown promise in animal studies. These vaccines aim to boost mucosal immunity, providing long-lasting protection against respiratory infections.
The study's findings suggest that this approach may offer an advantage over traditional injected vaccines, which often rely on "sterilizing immunity" achieved through blood-based responses. The German vaccine worked better than other options in hamster experiments, including mRNA-based and adenovirus-delivered vaccines.
However, experts caution that more research is needed before the vaccine can be widely adopted. The US has reached a stalemate with COVID-19, and hundreds of Americans continue to die from the virus daily. Researchers must now navigate the challenges of testing the vaccine in humans while also addressing concerns about its potential effectiveness against evolving variants.
Despite these hurdles, other nasal vaccines are making progress through late-stage testing. At least four nasal vaccines for COVID-19 have entered human trials, including ones that use harmless adenoviruses to deliver instructions into cells. Researchers are eager to see the results of these studies, which may provide further insight into this promising approach.
The development of a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived has become increasingly pressing, according to Dr. Greg Poland, who designs vaccines at the Mayo Clinic. The pandemic has shown how quickly the virus can mutate, rendering existing vaccines ineffective.
In reality, Poland said, researchers are far from achieving this goal. All it would take is another Omicron-level shift in the evolution of the virus, and the progress made so far could be undone. Researchers must therefore continue to develop and test new vaccine candidates that address these challenges.
The new approach takes cues from older technologies that have been around since the 1870s, when scientists first began exploring ways to use weakened viruses to develop vaccines. The German team's method involves manipulating the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate, rendering it harmless while still allowing the immune system to recognize and respond to it.
This new approach has sparked hope among researchers that a more effective solution can be found for combating COVID-19. Mucosal vaccines, which deliver instructions into the tissues lining the upper airways, have shown promise in animal studies. These vaccines aim to boost mucosal immunity, providing long-lasting protection against respiratory infections.
The study's findings suggest that this approach may offer an advantage over traditional injected vaccines, which often rely on "sterilizing immunity" achieved through blood-based responses. The German vaccine worked better than other options in hamster experiments, including mRNA-based and adenovirus-delivered vaccines.
However, experts caution that more research is needed before the vaccine can be widely adopted. The US has reached a stalemate with COVID-19, and hundreds of Americans continue to die from the virus daily. Researchers must now navigate the challenges of testing the vaccine in humans while also addressing concerns about its potential effectiveness against evolving variants.
Despite these hurdles, other nasal vaccines are making progress through late-stage testing. At least four nasal vaccines for COVID-19 have entered human trials, including ones that use harmless adenoviruses to deliver instructions into cells. Researchers are eager to see the results of these studies, which may provide further insight into this promising approach.
The development of a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived has become increasingly pressing, according to Dr. Greg Poland, who designs vaccines at the Mayo Clinic. The pandemic has shown how quickly the virus can mutate, rendering existing vaccines ineffective.
In reality, Poland said, researchers are far from achieving this goal. All it would take is another Omicron-level shift in the evolution of the virus, and the progress made so far could be undone. Researchers must therefore continue to develop and test new vaccine candidates that address these challenges.
just read that German researchers developed a nasal vaccine that's like 99% effective against COVID-19 
! The cool thing is it works by targeting the first point of entry for the virus, which is the upper airways 
. This means less risk of getting sick and more chances to get "sterilizing immunity" 
. Stats show that this vaccine was way more effective than other options in hamster experiments 
- 2 doses of the live but weakened vaccine were a game-changer! 
. The US is still dealing with COVID-19, and researchers need to test this new vaccine in humans ASAP 
. Plus, there's always the risk of variants popping up and messing everything 
. 4 nasal vaccines are already in human trials though 
I think it's awesome that German researchers have made a breakthrough in developing a nasal vaccine that can combat COVID-19 
. The fact that they've been able to create a live but weakened vaccine that can effectively prevent illness is a huge step forward 
! Mucosal vaccines are definitely worth exploring, especially if they can provide long-lasting protection against respiratory infections 
.
. And yeah, the challenges of testing the vaccine in humans and addressing concerns about its effectiveness against evolving variants are definitely daunting 
. It's crazy how quickly the virus can mutate and make existing vaccines ineffective, so it's essential that researchers continue to develop and test new vaccine candidates 
. Let's keep hoping for progress 
still so many cases globally 
hundreds dying daily in US... need more research before nasal vaccine can be widely adopted 
but this is promising approach 
. The fact that it's showing promise in animal studies is definitely a good sign. And let's be real, we need something to beat this pandemic 
. But at the same time, I'm also thinking about how much more research needs to be done before we can even consider making this vaccine widely available 
. Anyway, I guess that's just the way it goes when you're trying to develop a vaccine 
I'm totally stoked that German researchers have made some breakthroughs here! Targeting the upper airways makes total sense, especially since we know how easy it is for COVID-19 to spread through the air 
. If this vaccine can deliver sterilizing immunity like they're saying, that would be a game-changer 
. I'm still a bit skeptical about all the hurdles researchers need to overcome, but it's great to see so many nasal vaccines in human trials now 
. Dr. Poland's comments on the pandemic situation are spot on - we can't let our guard down for a second 
. Let's hope these new vaccine candidates step up and save the day 
. I mean, we've been stuck in this COVID-19 limbo for far too long, and any new approach that shows promise is definitely worth exploring. Plus, it's interesting to see how they're building on old ideas from the 1870s – who knew that technology was just waiting to be rediscovered? 
Now, I'm not gonna lie, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome, but I think this could be the start of something big 
just hope this nasal vaccine thing works out already 
my mom has been living with it since '21 and I just wanna see some progress already 
a nasal vaccine that can actually help us combat COVID-19 is like a dream come true 
it's crazy how far researchers have come in just a few years, and I know there's still so much work to be done but let's be real, every little bit counts right? 
. But on a more hopeful note, if this nasal vaccine is successful in humans, it could offer long-lasting protection against respiratory infections 
. And with at least 4 nasal vaccines currently entering human trials 
.
. The pandemic has shown us how quickly the virus can mutate, rendering existing vaccines ineffective 
2023: 70 million+ reported cases, 1.5 million+ reported deaths
!
[img of a hamster wearing a tiny superhero cape]
