UGA researchers develop new COVID vaccine as nasal spray, not injection

ATHENS, Ga. — While during the pandemic, vaccines were all shots in the arm, researchers in Georiga are working on a new COVID-19 vaccine that may not be.

At the University of Georgia, researchers are developing a nasal spray COVID vaccine.

Scientists have re-engineered a nasal vaccine originally used for dogs to be used for humans.

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The researchers said they hoped in this case, the vaccine could be usable for humans. So far, the trial has gone through Phase 1 and Phase 2 with minimal side effects.

Now, the researchers developing the nasal spray vaccine at UGA want to expand trials to 10,000 people to make sure the vaccine is safe.

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Recruitment for the trial is underway as new reports by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show COVID cases are trending upward.

The latest data from the CDC shows the number of positive tests have increased by 1.5% this week.

While that may not seem like a lot, emergency department visits are up 23% and deaths from COVID have risen more than 14%, according to the data.

According to the National Institutes of Health, human trials are underway, with testing locations selected for Baylor College of Medicine, Houston; The Hope Clinic of Emory University, Decatur, Georgia; and New York University, Long Island. Hana M. El Sahly, M.D.

NIH said the Baylor College of Medicine Vaccine Research Center, is leading the study.

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