Covid-19 vaccine: How would nasal sprays work?

Coronavirus is a contagious respiratory illness that can be spread through droplets in the air, such as when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

It causes mild to severe symptoms and affects people of all ages.

Nasal sprays are a common treatment option for the common cold and help alleviate symptoms as well as reduce duration of illness. 

How would it work as a vaccine?

Nasal sprays are often used to help relieve the symptoms of a cold, such as, sore throat, fever, and congestion. They contain medication that is inhaled through your nose.

The medicine in the spray helps reduce inflammation in your sinuses.  Reducing inflammation can help alleviate some of the pain caused by a cold or flu virus.

Medicine in the nasal spray is able to kill the virus before it can cross into other areas of the respiratory system.

A nasal spray blocks the entry of viruses, stopping them from proliferating in the nasal cavity, which reduces their load.

So, if you contract a virus, it will lower the amount of the virus in your body. This makes you less likely to infect others and helps slow its spread.

On the other hand, if you have not contracted the disease, a nasal spray meant to kill the virus may act as a form of chemical protection.

However, there was limited evidence of the success rate of nasal spray vaccines against Covid-19 as per the time of publication of this article.

How to use nasal spray

Hold a finger against one nostril while pressing the nozzle of the saline spray into the other.

Gently squeeze the nasal spray pump and breathe in gently. Then switch to the other side and repeat this process.

Using this type of treatment for relief from symptoms can also prevent coronavirus as it cannot live on surfaces like an airborne virus would be able to do so easily.

Different types of nasal sprays and possible side effects

There are many types of nasal sprays used to treat different cold and flu symptoms as well as allergic reactions. Here are some of the commonly used nasal sprays.

Decongestant nasal spray

Decongestants help shrink the nasal passages to relieve congestion in your nose which can lead to a stuffy or runny nose.

The decongestant properties of this type of nasal sprays causes blood vessels to constrict which helps reduce swelling in the mucous membranes.

Possible side effects from nasal spray include burning and stinging of the nose, increase mucus production, dryness in the nose that can result in sniffles or a sore throat, sneezing sometimes within minutes after use.

Antihistamine nasal spray

Antihistamines block histamine receptors thereby relieve symptoms of allergy such as sneezing, runny nose, etc.

The side effects of nasal spray are a bitter taste as well as a burning sensation inside the nose. Feelings of fatigue can occur too.

Nasal steroid sprays

As a result of decreasing inflammation, nasal steroids offer relief from common flu symptoms by limiting occurrence of runny nose, sneezing and congestion.

Steroid spray side effects are minimal. Throat irritation is one of the side effects.

Who can use nasal sprays?

Nasal sprays consist of different ingredients and the type of spray will depend on what your doctor recommends.

There are no age limitations for nasal sprays, but please speak with a pharmacist to determine the appropriate dosage.

Be informed of the content in the nasal spray to rule out possible allergies.

Nasal sprays are a great way to help prevent coronavirus while also providing much needed relief for those with common flu-like symptoms such as congestion, runny nose, and sneezing.

There are many reasons for using nasal sprays, so it is important to follow instructions carefully when they are prescribed by a medical professional.

Be sure not to use more than prescribed by a doctor as overuse may lead to addiction or other harmful consequences.