Many are waiting for the day that our lives can return to normal, but that will have to wait until the coronavirus pandemic has been dealt with. Ideally, a vaccine would be the best-case scenario where we immunize ourselves to the virus, but it has been suggested that even then, vaccines won’t be a permanent solution.
They might also be expensive to buy and we’re sure that not everyone is thrilled at the idea of having to go for regular injections. However, researchers at Columbia University might have come up with an alternative which comes in the form of a nasal spray that when used, could prevent the coronavirus from infecting people and provide protection for up to 24 hours.
How this works is that the spray is a lipopeptide that prevents the virus from fusing with the person’s cell membranes by blocking a key protein that would allow it to take shape. So far, initial tests on ferrets and a 3D model of a human lung have shown that it could work, plus the fact that it is relatively inexpensive and doesn’t require refrigeration could also mean that one day, it might be purchasable over the counter.
That being said, before we get too excited, it probably won’t be available to the public anytime soon as there will be need for additional tests, human clinical trials, and also a way to produce it on a larger scale, so for now, we’ll just have to take comfort knowing that there will be options out there one day in the future.
Filed in . Read more about Coronavirus, Covid-19, Health, Science and Social Hit. Source: cuimc.columbia.edu