A virologist from the United States believes that the nasal vaccine against COVID-19, which is undergoing clinical trials in Russia, may be more dangerous than the intramuscular one. He argues that the nose is connected to the brain, which can get a virus or an antigen. At the same time, Russian experts said that there was no reason to question the safety of this type of vaccine. The nasal vaccine against coronavirus can be more dangerous for humans than the one that is administered intramuscularly. This was stated by the virologist, director of the US Global Virological Network Center Konstantin Chumakov. He has been living in the USA for more than 30 years, his brother Pyotr Chumakov is a virologist, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“The nose is very closely connected to the brain by the olfactory nerve, and therefore all medications that people are supposed to give through the nose undergo a very large safety assessment. They [nasal vaccines] can be unsafe because a virus or an antigen can enter the brain along this nerve,” Konstantin Chumakov told journalist Olga Kopylova on her YouTube channel “Advise, doctor!”.

He stressed that one should be "very careful" with nasal preparations.

At the same time, the intramuscular vaccine does not affect vital organs. Thus, the central nervous system is protected, Chumakov confirmed, answering the corresponding question.

At the same time, according to the expert, the very idea of ​​creating local immunity is a good one, since the antigen is immediately introduced into the “right place”.

Professor of Virology, Chief Researcher at the Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology Anatoly Altshtein disagrees with the opinion that the nasal vaccine is dangerous.

“The vaccine does not contain active replicating virus. The virus contained in this vaccine is able to infect a cell, but does not produce offspring. And the vaccine after the introduction into the brain will not work. There is simply nothing to go. I'm afraid Konstantin Mikhailovich is somewhat mistaken here, ”the expert said in an interview with RBC.

Larisa Popovich, Director of the Institute of Economics and Health at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, shares the same opinion. According to her, there is no reason to believe that the new vaccine will be more dangerous than Sputnik V.

The specialist emphasized: “it’s good that it penetrates through other channels - this is the first echelon of the immune system, it will be strengthened and protected.” She believes that with the Sputnik vaccination, people can be better protected.

Nasal vaccine

A new type of vaccine from domestic experts became known last year. In October, the Ministry of Health authorized the Gamaleya Center to conduct the second phase of clinical trials.

But this drug, according to the head of the center Alexander Gintsburg, will not replace Sputnik V. He stressed that the nasal preparation will be an addition to the already known vaccine and will create immunity directly at the site of entry of the virus - the nasopharynx. At the same time, a person vaccinated with a new type of coronavirus vaccine will not be a carrier of the virus.

Already at the end of November, Russian President Vladimir Putin tried the drug on himself. “Six months after the vaccination, my protective titers dropped, and the experts recommended a revaccination procedure, which I did a few days ago. At first he did it in the form of an injection, and the next day, after a conversation with Denis Yuryevich [Logunov, deputy director of the Center. Gamalei], he himself made the second part of the procedure for me - a nasal form powder, ”said the head of the country.

According to him, the nasal vaccine is taken in the same way as the nasal spray. The powder is inhaled with a syringe. At the same time, Putin did not have any feelings after the vaccine. “I then sat for 15 minutes and left,” he said.

Elena Smolyarchuk, head of the Center for Clinical Study of Medicines at Sechenov University, said that there were no adverse reactions in the volunteers participating in the clinical trial. On February 1, in a commentary to RIA Novosti, she clarified that so far they had received the first dose of a nasal vaccine. After 21 days, the procedure will be repeated.

So far, six people out of a hundred have been fully vaccinated. 187.8 million rubles were allocated to physicians for clinical trials.

Previously, experts said that the nasal vaccine will be administered in two doses to those who have not yet been vaccinated against coronavirus, and one dose during revaccination. The Ministry of Health said that it is planned to use the nasal vaccine as a booster. According to Gunzburg, the drug will go into civilian circulation this spring.

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