China launches COVID-19 vaccine that can be inhaled through mouth: Report

Amid the chaotic situation, China on Friday unveiled a COVID-19 vaccine that can be inhaled through the mouth, CGTN reported. According to the media reports, the world's first inhaled form of COVID-19 vaccine was unveiled during the 5th Hainan International Health Industry Expo 2021. According to The Standard, the inhalable vaccine was jointly developed by prominent Chinese vaccine developer Chen Wei’s team and the Chinese biotech company, CanSino Biologics Inc. As per the company's claims, the vaccine can be inhaled through the mouth.

Have a look at the World's first inhaled COVID-19 vaccine:

The inhalable drug then goes into the respiratory tract and lungs and stimulate mucosal immunity. Bolstering their product, the company said that the immunity produced by the newly developed vaccine is far better than the vaccine injected into the body. Further, the CanSino Biologics said that the newly introduced format would be beneficial for the children as it is less painful and thus avoids regional pain and swelling. According to CanSino Biologics Inc, the stimulation of mucosal immunity can't be created by intramuscular injections and thus allow better response against the deadly virus.

"Aerosolized inhalable Ad5-nCoV can provide a strong cellular immune response, which has the same level as that achieved by traditional intramuscular injections in 14 days," Global Times quoted the company as saying. 

The inhaled vaccine requires only one-fifth of the dosage of an injected one

According to the health experts familiar with the vaccine, said that the inhaled vaccine can be used as booster shots to counter the highly contagious virus. The aerosolized booster vaccination must be inhaled 28 days after the first intramuscular injection in order to generate neutralizing antibody, noted the health experts. Citing the developer, The Global Times said the incorporation of an inactivated vaccine with inhaled Ad5-nCoV has also been proven to yield extremely neutralizing antibodies against the COVID-19 prototype, as well as the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta strains. Moreover, the newly introduced vaccine is more effective as it also saves resources. The inhaled vaccine requires only one-fifth of the dosage of an injected one, thus it deserves more doses and relieves production pressure.

Despite new induction, the vaccine has to undergo a "trust" test

The World Health Organisation (WHO) approved China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, making it the second Chinese vaccine to receive the global body's nod; despite the approval, countries are reluctant to administer the Chinese vaccine. Moreover, some researchers also raised red flags over the efficacy of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. As per a report in China's state-owned Global Times, Sinovac's COVID vaccine has an efficacy rate of 95% in China, whereas a 50.7% efficacy in preventing symptomatic infections in Brazil. Consequently, the other nations are seen as reluctant in approving the vaccine. 

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