A commonly available nasal spray may significantly reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections, according to clinical trial results.
Researchers from Saarland University Hospital in Germany led the study, the results of which were published Sept. 2 in JAMA Internal Medicine. They found that regular use of azelastine, an over-the-counter antihistamine nasal spray, lowered the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in healthy adults. The phase 2, placebo-controlled trial involved 450 participants and ran from March 2023 to July 2024.
Participants used azelastine or the placebo three times daily for 56 days. The group that used azelastine has a significantly lower rate of confirmed COVID-19 infections, at 2.2%, compared to the placebo group, which had a rate of 6.7% of confirmed cases.
The nasal spray also delayed infection among individuals who did contract the virus and reduced symptomatic COVID-19 cases and rhinovirus infections, researchers said.
