Two in one … Scientists develop a vaccine against Corona and...

Agencies

Scientists in Hong Kong are these days developing a vaccine to fight the Corona virus and influenza at the same time, especially since the two diseases affect the same organs in the body and have similar symptoms..

The new vaccine targets Covid-19 and influenza together, and it can be taken by spraying in the nose instead of injecting with needles, and it provides protection from the two diseases at the same time..

The new vaccine is scheduled to enter experiments in Hong Kong in November, and the vaccine will not need to obtain regulatory approval for several months in order to start using it if it is proven successful..

Yuen Kwok Young, head of the infectious disease department in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong who is participating in the study, said that the first phase of the trials will start in Hong Kong, and about 100 adults will be registered for completion.

“Our idea is that we want protection from influenza and Covid-19 at the same time,” Yuen said in statements to Bloomberg.“.

The new vaccine uses a weakened influenza virus that only grows in the upper airway. The attenuated virus cannot reproduce, and it has been genetically engineered to include the coronavirus protein.

And if the new vaccine is successful, it will lead to an immune response against the Corona virus, as the immune system must produce antibodies equivalent to this high protein, which prevents the real virus from reproducing.

The new vaccine prompts the immune system to generate antibodies that respond to the influenza virus that was used in the vaccine. However, other influenza viruses may still be contagious.

“It has been shown that the vaccine works well in animals,” Yuen said. He added, “I think the mucosa vaccine is a great idea,” referring to the spray vaccines that target the nasal mucosa..