A nasal spray that can prevent COVID-19 for up to two days was developed by researchers in the UK – and may be available over-the-counter in the summer, according to a report.
The spray – developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham – prevents infection by capturing the insect in the nose and covering it with a layer that it cannot escape from, the Telegraph reported.
As a result, it would be safe for someone to exhale close to someone else, because the virus would be inactive and harmless, the agency said.
Dr. Richard Moakes, the study’s lead researcher, said he was confident that the spray would be able to lift the restrictions of social distance and “get schools back up and running.”
“We think it will help in schools, as one of the good things about the formulation of the nasal spray is that it would not need to be reformulated for children,” Moakes told The Telegraph.
“If that could make it easier for students to return to school and restore education, that would be great.”
The spray includes an antiviral agent called carrageenan – also used as a thickening agent in food – and a solution called gellan, a gelling agent that adheres to the cells of the nose.
Gellan can be sprayed as fine droplets into the nasal cavity, where it can cover the surface evenly and remain at the application site instead of sliding out of the nose.
These ingredients are already approved for medical use, which means that they do not require additional approval, noted the Telegraph.
“Based on the product, it will be much faster to reach the user than a new drug,” Moakes told the Telegraph.
“I am confident that the formulation can make an impact. Our goal is to make an impact as quickly as possible. We would love to see that happen until the summer. “
The researchers – who have been developing the spray since April 2020 – are in discussions with stores and pharmaceutical giants about the next steps to mass produce it, reported the Telegraph. It is unclear when or when it could be made available outside the UK.
The researchers announced in November that laboratory experiments showed that the spray prevented an infection from spreading for up to 48 hours.
Scientists believe that using it four times a day would be sufficient for general protection, although it is safe enough to be used every 20 minutes in a high-risk environment, such as crowded schools.