Russia registers world’s 1st nasal spray coronavirus vax

MOSCOW – The world’s first nasal spray coronavirus vaccine has been registered in Russia, the Health Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

“The Russian Health Ministry has registered the nasal spray form of the Gam-COVID-Vac (Sputnik V) coronavirus vaccine developed by the Health Ministry’s Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology,” the statement reads.

According to the ministry, the vaccine consists of two components based on type 16 and type 5 adenovirus vectors. The two doses will be administered at an interval of three weeks.

This kind of vaccination creates mucosal immunity against the coronavirus within the respiratory tract.

“The use of a nasal spray induces a humoral immune response (boosting IgA antibody titers in the blood and nasal secretions and virus-neutralizing IgG antibody titers in the blood) and a cellular immune response to the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2,” the statement added.

At this point, the vaccine is intended for the immunization of individuals over the age of 18.

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said earlier that the use of the nasal spray coronavirus vaccine would be included in recommendations for booster shots. (TASS)