Allergy Nasal Spray May Help Ward Off COVID

A widely available nasal spray used for allergies may offer unexpected protection against COVID, a new study suggests. Researchers at Saarland University Hospital in Germany tested the antihistamine azelastine, an over-the-counter product, on 450 adults, most in their early 30s. Half the group used the spray three times daily, while the rest received a placebo. Over nearly two months, the group using azelastine had a 2.2% COVID infection rate, compared to 6.7% for those on the placebo, reports NBC News.

The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also found that azelastine appeared to lower the incidence of other respiratory infections. Scientists suggest the spray may prevent the virus from attaching to the nasal lining and block key enzymes COVID uses to replicate. Another theory is that it interferes with the ACE2 receptor, which the virus uses to enter human cells.

"Our findings suggest azelastine could serve as a scalable, over-the-counter prophylactic against COVID, especially when community transmission is elevated or in high-risk settings such as crowded indoor events or travelling," says senior author Dr. Robert Bals. However, he cautioned that the study was small and involved mostly young, healthy participants, so more research is needed—especially among older adults and those with weakened immune systems, per a university release. Bals emphasized that the spray should not replace vaccines.