China unveils first inhalable COVID-19 vaccine

Regulators in China have given the green light for a new COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out, however this vaccine, which is believed to be a world’s first, will be inhaled rather than injected.

The vaccine was produced by the Chinese pharmaceutical firm CanSino Biologics and has now been rolled out as a booster. People taking the shot will be given a small vessel which looks like a takeaway coffee cup, and they will then inhale the vaccine through a small mouthpiece.

“Our body’s first line of defense is the mucus membrane of our respiratory system, we want that to be directly stimulated to improve immunity and using the inhaled vaccine does that,” Dr. Zhao Hui, the chief medical officer at Shanghai United Family Hospital Pudong, told Reuters.

Erwin Loh, who is the chief medical officer at St Vincent’s Health Australia, praised the new vaccine.

“There is a large proportion of people who are resistant to take the vaccine because they have a needle phobia. They may not articulate it, but that’s what in their mind,” Loh said.

He said that he hopes other countries will follow China’s lead in implementing an inhalable COVID-19 vaccine.

“I think inhaled vaccines for respiratory illness like Covid-19 will be the future,” he said.

China continues to enforce their “Zero-Covid” plan, and this new vaccine is expected to play an important part in reducing infections. Lockdowns are still in effect for Shanghai’s residential buildings and businesses.

According to Chinese government, 90% of the population has been vaccinated against COVID-19.