A nasal spray has been developed that provides protection from coronavirus and other virus.
Credit: Taffix
The Spray is called Taffix, and is said to provide 99% protection against COVID-19 when tested in trials, but in real life settings, when used by people, it’s said to reduce your chance of getting the virus by up to 78%.
Dr Dalia Meggido, co-founder and chief executive officer of Nasus Pharma, the firm behind the spray, said: “Taffix is not a replacement for masks, it is an additional layer of protection.
“Masks clearly help prevent infections, but they do not offer 100% protection. Taffix provides an additional layer of protection, which is particularly useful in high-risk settings such as public transport, shops and schools — basically any enclosed space.”
It uses familiar technologies, like hypromellose, which is used in other cold products.
The way it works is pretty simple; you spray it up your nose, where it forms a gell in your nose that slightly alters the PH inside, killing viruses on impact.
This is particularly useful against COVID-19, as the virus replicates in large numbers inside the nose.
There are said to be no side effects either, according to the study that found it was 78% effective in real life settings.
Professor Barbara Mann, who led the study, said: “To our knowledge, this is the first time that any measure to prevent infection in COVID-19, beyond the use of masks, was proven effective.
“Given the excellent safety profile of Taffix and its statistically significant efficacy in preventing infection following what is defined as high risk infection event — it seems that this additional layer of protection can significantly reduce the risks of infection and may enable people to resume some part of their daily routine more safely.”
