Scientists in Germany have made significant progress in developing a nasal vaccine that can effectively combat Covid-19. The vaccine works by introducing a weakened form of the coronavirus into the nose and throat, where it triggers an immune response without causing full-blown illness.
The researchers tested their vaccine on hamsters and found that two doses were able to block the virus from replicating in the animals' upper airways, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness. This is a long-sought goal of the pandemic, as it would prevent the virus from taking hold in the body.
While this vaccine still has several hurdles to clear before it can be used on humans, other nasal vaccines are already being tested or have shown promising results in clinical trials. China and India have also rolled out nasal vaccines that use harmless adenoviruses to ferry their instructions into cells, but effectiveness data is still limited.
Experts say that caution is warranted, as the vaccine still needs to pass further testing before it can be widely used. However, they also note that the results are encouraging, and a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived could be a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19.
The German team's approach is based on a technique called codon pair deoptimization, which manipulates the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate. This makes the vaccine more effective at targeting the full range of coronavirus targets, rather than just its spike proteins like current vaccines do.
Other nasal vaccines are also being developed, including one from Mount Sinai that can be produced cheaply in chicken eggs, and another using a live but weakened version of the virus. These studies are ongoing, and their results will provide crucial insight into the effectiveness of this approach.
Despite the promise of these new vaccines, there are still challenges to overcome, particularly with regards to respiratory infections being tough targets for inhaled vaccines. However, some experts argue that this is not a reason to give up on the approach entirely, as live attenuated viruses have already proven effective against other diseases like measles, mumps and rubella.
Ultimately, the success of these new nasal vaccines will depend on further testing and data from human trials. If they prove successful, it could provide a vital tool in the fight against Covid-19, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals who are most at risk of severe illness.
The researchers tested their vaccine on hamsters and found that two doses were able to block the virus from replicating in the animals' upper airways, achieving "sterilizing immunity" and preventing illness. This is a long-sought goal of the pandemic, as it would prevent the virus from taking hold in the body.
While this vaccine still has several hurdles to clear before it can be used on humans, other nasal vaccines are already being tested or have shown promising results in clinical trials. China and India have also rolled out nasal vaccines that use harmless adenoviruses to ferry their instructions into cells, but effectiveness data is still limited.
Experts say that caution is warranted, as the vaccine still needs to pass further testing before it can be widely used. However, they also note that the results are encouraging, and a pan-coronavirus vaccine that induces mucosal immunity and is long-lived could be a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19.
The German team's approach is based on a technique called codon pair deoptimization, which manipulates the genetic material of the virus to make it harder for cells to translate. This makes the vaccine more effective at targeting the full range of coronavirus targets, rather than just its spike proteins like current vaccines do.
Other nasal vaccines are also being developed, including one from Mount Sinai that can be produced cheaply in chicken eggs, and another using a live but weakened version of the virus. These studies are ongoing, and their results will provide crucial insight into the effectiveness of this approach.
Despite the promise of these new vaccines, there are still challenges to overcome, particularly with regards to respiratory infections being tough targets for inhaled vaccines. However, some experts argue that this is not a reason to give up on the approach entirely, as live attenuated viruses have already proven effective against other diseases like measles, mumps and rubella.
Ultimately, the success of these new nasal vaccines will depend on further testing and data from human trials. If they prove successful, it could provide a vital tool in the fight against Covid-19, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals who are most at risk of severe illness.
I'm gonna say something that might sound crazy... but what if we're being too cautious with these new nasal vaccines? 
I mean, think about it - we've already been through so much with Covid-19, and these vaccines could be the game-changer we need. Sure, there are still hurdles to clear, but what if they're not as big of a deal as everyone's making them out to be?
But at some point, you gotta think about the bigger picture here. We've got people who are literally dying from Covid-19 every day, and these vaccines could give us a real shot in the arm (pun intended). And let's be real, we can't wait around forever for science to catch up.
It sounds crazy, but I think it's worth exploring. We're not just talking about Covid-19 here - we're talking about a whole new approach to vaccine development. And if that means taking some risks and trying something untested, so be it... 
! I mean, it's crazy how far we've come since the pandemic started. The idea that a weakened form of the virus can trigger an immune response without causing full-blown illness is mind-blowing 
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. But if these nasal vaccines prove successful, it could be a huge step forward in the fight against Covid-19 
. I'm thinking of all the vulnerable populations who are most at risk – the elderly, immunocompromised individuals... this could be a lifesaver 
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And have you seen the results from those Chinese and Indian nasal vaccines? effectiveness data is super sketchy, imo. 
We need to see some solid clinical trial numbers before we get our hopes up. Plus, what about the logistics of mass-producing this stuff? chicken eggs in a vaccine? 
sounds like a recipe for disaster.
. And I love how they're using codon pair deoptimization to make the virus harder for cells to translate – it's like a superpower 
They might not be the same as human trials, but still... and what about respiratory infections being tough targets for inhaled vaccines? That's a legit concern 
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. If this nasal vaccine can help prevent severe illness in those groups, then that's a major win 
. Let's keep the momentum going and see where these studies take us! 
Not only would this be a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19 but it also has huge potential for other respiratory infections.
It just goes to show that there's still hope for innovative solutions in the field of medicine.
THE FACT THAT THEY TESTED IT ON HAMSTERS AND GOT STESTERILIZING IMMUNITY IS SO PROMISING!!! 
OMG this is such amazing news!!! I'm so hyped about the German scientists making progress on the nasal vaccine 
it's like they're taking a huge step towards recovery 
this nasal vaccine thingy sounds so promising!!! 
i mean, sterilizing immunity is like, the holy grail of pandemic fighting 
and if it works on humans too, that's like, a total win 
coz it's not just targeting the spike proteins like those other vaccines do 
that these nasal vaccines can actually make a difference in the fight against covid!