Swiss and German virologists raise hopes of nasal coronavirus vaccine
Swiss and German virologists working on a nasal vaccine for Covid-19 say such a technique could be much more effective against the virus, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports on Friday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
SRF/jc
Português
pt
Virologistas suíços e alemães criam esperanças de uma vacina nasal contra o coronavírus
The ideal 100% immunity is almost impossible to achieve with viruses that attack the mucous membrane, University of Bern virus researcher Volker Thiehl told SRF. But he said an improvement was certainly achievable “if the immunity is not somewhere in the body, but on the spot, where the virus tries to infect us”.
For Covid-19 this means the mucous membranes of the nose. “The virus would be stopped right there,” he told SRF. “Then Corona would become a simple and mild infection, like a cold.”
Thiel is working with colleagues in Germany and Switzerland to develop a nasal vaccine. The project was launched in 2020 and is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation. He says the main component of the nasal vaccine is to be attenuated corona viruses, and he has tried many different ways to attenuate the viruses. “Two of them work very well as vaccines in animals. We now want to approach phase 1 trials in humans.”
Phase 1 involves testing the safety of the vaccine in a small number of people. That will be followed by additional phases of studies with more and more subjects. These studies are expensive, however, and private investors are needed.
SRF reports that Basel-based company RocketVax is already involved, but the project needs more financial partners. Vaccines are unlikely to be available for another one or two years, it says.
Swiss government to use phone data to identify asylum seekers
This content was published on
From April 2025, authorities plan to be able to analyse data from mobile phones, computers and other data carriers to identify asylum seekers.
Young undocumented migrants gain easier access to vocational training
This content was published on
Rejected asylum-seekers and young undocumented migrants in Switzerland will have easier access to basic vocational training from June 1.
Migration: Swiss government wants to shorten reunification period for families
This content was published on
Family members of people temporarily admitted to Switzerland should in future be able to join them after two years instead of three.
This content was published on
2023 was a record year for the Rhaetian Railway in several respects. Never before has the narrow-gauge railway in Graubünden, eastern Switzerland, transported so many passengers and cars.
Swiss CFOs much more optimistic despite global uncertainty
This content was published on
The main concerns of business leaders in Switzerland are geopolitical uncertainty and the important trading partners Germany and China.
Record organ donation in Switzerland despite high rejection rates
This content was published on
More organ donations were recorded in Switzerland in 2023 than ever before. This was despite a high rejection rate of 58% by surviving relatives.
Explainer: How ready is Switzerland for a new wave of Covid-19?
This content was published on
Covid-19 cases are on the rise again, sparking renewed talk of vaccination and a possible return to social distancing in the autumn.
New Covid surge could infect over one million Swiss this summer
This content was published on
Around 15% of the Swiss population could get infected this summer with new Omicron subvariants, warns former Covid-19 taskforce head.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.