A nasal spray that can prevent COVID-19 for up to two days has been developed by researchers in the UK – and according to a report, it could be available without a prescription by the summer.
The spray – developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham – prevents infection by trapping the insect in its nose and covering it with a coating from which it cannot escape, The Telegraph reported.
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 investigator, said he was confident that the spray will end social distance restrictions and “get schools back on track.”
“We think it will help in schools because one of the good things about the nasal spray formulation is that it doesn’t need to be reformulated for kids,” Moakes told The Telegraph.
“If it could make it easier to get students back to school and get education going again, that would be great.”
The spray contains an antiviral called carrageenan – also used as a thickening agent in food – and a solution called gellan, a gelling agent that sticks to cells in the nose.
Gellan can be sprayed as fine droplets into the nasal cavity, where it can evenly cover the surface and remain in the place of delivery instead of slipping out of the nose.
These ingredients are already approved for medical use, meaning no additional approval is needed, The Telegraph noted.
“Based on the product, it will be much faster to get to the user than a new drug,” Moakes told the Telegraph.
“I am convinced that the formulation can have an impact. Our goal is to make an impact as quickly as possible. We would like to see this happen by summer. “
The researchers – who have been developing the spray since April 2020 – are in talks with retailers and pharmaceutical giants about next steps to mass-produce it, The Telegraph reported. It’s unclear when and when it could become available outside the UK.
The researchers announced in November that laboratory experiments showed that the spray prevented the spread of infection for up to 48 hours.
The scientists believe that using it four times a day is sufficient for general protection, although it is safe enough to be used every 20 minutes in a high-risk environment, such as crowded schools.