Still subject to a strict zero Covid policy, China has just acquired a third vaccine. A small revolution because it is in gaseous form and works like an invisible mask.
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Revolutionary ! China has just authorized an anti-Covid vaccine that is taken by mouth, a world first. This vaccine comes in the form of an aerosol that is sprayed in the mouth. The gas is deposited on the respiratory mucosa and thus makes it possible to block the entry of external droplets potentially contaminated by Covid. Simply put, the vaccine can be compared to a kind of mask that would be invisible, serving as the first line of defense in the mouth, and preventing the progression of the virus in the respiratory tract.
This new vaccine is 100% Chinese. Designed by researchers from the Chinese Institute of Military Medicine, it is manufactured by the CanSinoBio laboratory based in Tianjin near Beijing. The vaccine was officially licensed last month and began being administered this week in Shanghai as well as 13 cities in Jiangsu province. State media released videos showing Shanghai residents inhaling it at a community center.
The aerosol comes in the form of a plastic glass. Simply bite the opening on the top of the glass and inhale deeply to force the gas into your mouth. Importantly, this vaccine was developed to serve as a booster dose only. Only people who have already been vaccinated with traditional vaccines can use it.
Tests were carried out by the CanSinoBio laboratory. The results indicate that, six months after being vaccinated, people have significantly higher immunity than people who received a booster dose intramuscularly. The solution seems adapted to the case of China, which still practices a strict zero Covid policy and where vaccination coverage is considered to be largely insufficient. This vaccine without injection, usable in less than 20 seconds could convince the many Chinese who are still reluctant to be vaccinated, especially the elderly.