Can an Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray Prevent COVID and Colds?

Can a Nasal Spray Help Prevent COVID and the Common Cold?

Every winter, clinics fill with patients suffering from respiratory viruses—runny noses, coughs, and fatigue that ripple through households and workplaces. We’ve learned to rely on vaccines, masks, and air filtration to protect ourselves, but what if protection could start right where most infections begin—the nose?

In a recent post for Psychology Today, I review a new clinical trial from Germany suggesting that an over-the-counter nasal spray containing azelastine, a medication long used for allergies, may reduce infections caused by COVID-19 and common cold viruses. While the results are promising, the study was small, industry-funded, and limited to young, healthy adults. Larger, multi-center studies are needed before we can recommend this approach widely.

Still, the concept is intriguing: targeting viruses at their point of entry could someday become an important complement to vaccines and other preventive measures.

📖 Read the full article on Psychology Today:
👉 Can an Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray Prevent COVID and Colds?