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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
According to the manufacturer, this new nasally administered vaccine could be used for booster doses. However, no independent study has yet evaluated its effectiveness.
This is a world first in the search for vaccines against Covid, and perhaps a hope for the future. On Sunday, September 4, a nasally respirable vaccine received the green light from Chinese authorities. China was not the only country to carry out this research, projects are underway in France (by the Institut Pasteur) in Canada, the United States and Cuba. But the validation of such a method is unprecedented.
The spray vaccine, an ideal?
Made by the CanSino Biologics laboratory, this new kind of vaccine contains ingredients similar to its injected vaccine, and uses a harmless adenovirus as the carrier of the genetic code that teaches the body how to fight Covid. Its use is basic, a simple mist inhaled through a sprayer. The laboratory suggests good protection after a single breath. Other laboratories working on the subject report additional immunity in the lining of the nose and upper respiratory tract.
“Unlike a vaccine by injection, a nasal vaccine would have the advantage of blocking the virus at the very entrance to the body, directly via the mucous membranes. By locking the front door, such a vaccine would prevent the infectious agent from entering the body and would reduce possible transmission, to the point of making it impossible” confirms Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo.
The advantages would also be of a practical nature: a nasal vaccine does not require an injection, is easier to store and needs only minimal storage.
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A long journey
While the announcement is promising, it does require some caution. The green light is given, of course, and the results published by the manufacturer are encouraging. However, for the time being, these same results have not been reviewed or validated by peers and no independent study on its effectiveness has been made public. The company also clarifies that the vaccine has not yet been purchased by government agencies. In short, it is impossible to comment for the time being on the long-term effectiveness of the product, nor on its availability. Especially since, so far, no Chinese vaccine has been approved by Europe. It seems unlikely that this vaccine will cross our borders.