Scientists from the Yale School of Medicine, USA, have found that nasal vaccines could potentially provide better protection against new variants of SARS-Cov-2.

In the study, published in Science Immunology, the team tested vaccines against influenza viruses administrated into mice through injections, and via the nose.

After exposing mice to multiple strains of influenza viruses, they observed that mice which received the nasal vaccine were better protected against the virus than those that received injections.

“The best immune defense happens at the gate, guarding against viruses trying to enter,” said Akiko Iwasaki, senior author of the study.

The Yale team is now testing nasal vaccines against Covid strains in animal models.