WHO awaits second generation of easier-to-administer COVID vaccines

The scientific director of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that she was looking forward to the “second generation”Of COVID vaccines, which could include nasal or oral versions.

Soumya Swaminathan indicated that these vaccines would have advantages over current ones, since they would be easier to administer than injections and even the same patient could do it.

Swaminathan He explained that there were 129 COVID vaccine candidates that were being tested in humans in clinical trials, and another 194 that were still being developed in laboratories.

“This covers the entire spectrum of technologies”, He said in a live interaction on the social networks of the WHO. “They are still in development, some will prove to be very safe and effective, and some may not”He added.

The scientist pointed out that “there may be advantages in some of the second generation vaccines. ” “Clearly, if you have an oral or intranasal vaccine, it is much easier to administer than an injectable.”, He explained.

In addition, nasal spray vaccines, used in some countries against the flu, can promote an earlier response to infection.

“If there is a local immune response, it will take care of the virus before it becomes established in the lungs and begins to cause problems.“, said.

Until now, the WHO has licensed seven vaccines against COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac and, last week, Bharat Biotech.

“Neither vaccine is 100% (effective). No one ever said vaccines were going to be 100% protective”, He indicated.

“So far, with the vaccines we have approved, there have been no signs that have been so concerning that we had to rethink the vaccine”He added.

According to the AFP balance, more than 7.250 million doses of anti-COVID vaccines have been administered in the world.