A new clinical trial led by Saarland University researchers suggests that azelastine, a common ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) allergy nasal sprays, can cut COVID-19 infections by a staggering 70 percent. That’s news that comes not a moment too soon.
The FDA is expected to limit access to COVID-19 vaccines this fall. Even though cold and flu season is precisely when a coronavirus thrives. Sadly, we are a nation run by cavemen afraid of fire.
Meanwhile, individual states are enacting measures to ensure that their citizens can maintain access to the COVID shot, but there’s a ton of confusion out there. Luckily, some new scientific research from Saarland University in Germany has found that a common over-the-counter antihistamine nasal spray may be effective in protecting against COVID-19.
Does This Common Nasal Spray Actually Help Fend Off COVID?
The Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 450 healthy, primarily young, vaccinated adults. Over 56 days, participants sprayed azelastine (or a placebo) up their noses three times daily, with a bump to five times in case of exposure or symptoms. They also took regular COVID-19 tests.
Just 2.2 percent of the azelastine group caught COVID, compared to 6.7 percent of the placebo group. The benefits didn’t stop at COVID. Participants using azelastine also experienced fewer colds and other respiratory infections overall, with the percentages of non-colds versus colds at 9.3 percent and 22 percent, respectively.
The sample size was small, and everyone involved was already vaccinated and relatively healthy. Additionally, the study took place at a single German hospital. While promising, these findings aren’t ready to be written into global health policy just yet.
Azelastine sprays, such as Astepro in the U.S., won’t replace a COVID vaccine, but they can work better as an additional measure when used in conjunction with it. However, they could add a nice armor bonus to your virus-fighting arsenal in a world where we are increasingly getting nothing and are being told to expect nothing from our leaders.
The bare minimum is too high a bar.
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