The COVID-19 vaccines in circulation are effective at preventing hospitalization, severe illness and death, but more recent COVID-19 nasal spray vaccines may be better at preventing infections altogether.

By targeting an area where people are most likely to contract the virus, nasal spray vaccines coat the inside of the nose, mouth and throat with antibodies that will help prevent people from getting the virus. Researchers developed the nasal spray vaccine to be administered much like nasal sprays already in existence that are often used for seasonal, airborne allergies to prevent people from experiencing severe symptoms or getting sick.

While the current course of vaccination — one or two doses of the first vaccine course along with a booster shot — has proven to be effective, contracting the virus is still a concern for many, especially those who are immunocompromised and elderly.

There are around a dozen nasal spray vaccines being trialed worldwide, according to The New York Times. Some of the trials are in Phase 3.

“So far, the results we’re seeing with the intranasal vaccine are incredibly encouraging,” said Dr. Ramasamy Paulmuruga, a professor of radiology at Stanford who is leading an effort to produce a nasal vaccine and study its effects.

The nasal spray vaccine acts as a physical block against infection from COVID-19 and its variants — most notably Delta and Omicron — including any future variants, which limits “the amount of virus that can settle onto nasal passages or travel into the lungs.” That blockage created by the nasal spray vaccine potentially reduces a person’s ability to spread the virus to more people as well.

Akiko Iawasaki, who is leading research at the Yale School of Medicine to develop a nasal spray vaccine, talked about the approach as a game-changer that has far-reaching effects outside of the current global pandemic.

Adding a nasal spray COVID-19 vaccine to the mix works like adding a bouncer outside of a nightclub, preventing the virus from entering the body in the first place. The immunity supplied is also long-lasting, according to Iawasaki. She also points out that it may help those who are afraid of needles and potentially increase the number of people who opt to get the vaccine.

“Take it as a nasal spray and it's a little bit less scary. So hopefully that will increase the number of people who want to vaccinate themselves,” Iawasaki pointed out.

Researchers are looking to add a nasal spray to the current course of vaccinations, boosting immunity already developed from a course of mRNA vaccines including Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines.

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