A COVID-19 vaccine candidate which can be administered through the nose showed a reduction in both the impact of the disease and transmission of the virus in pre-clinical animal trials, scientists say. Researchers at Lancaster University in the UK immunised hamsters with two doses of the intranasal vaccine.

They found the animals showed complete protection from lung infection, inflammation and lesions following exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The two doses of the vaccine were found to significantly reduce the virus “shedding” from the nose and lungs of the hamsters — suggesting the preventive has the potential to control infection at the site of inoculation, the researchers said.

This should prevent both clinical disease and virus transmission, to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, they added.