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A common over-the-counter nasal spray used to treat allergies may also protect against COVID-19, according to a new study
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Scientists say azalastine appears to help prevent COVID-19 in addition to viruses like the flu and RSV
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As part of the study, German researchers tested 450 adults all in their early 30s
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About half were given the nasal spray three times daily, while the others were given a placebo spray
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Researchers say the group that used the actual nasal spray had a significantly lower infection rate of around 2 percent compared to 7 percent in the placebo group
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They say it's unclear why the medication works to prevent COVID, but they have a few theories, including its ability to block an enzyme the virus uses to replicate and binding the virus to a mucous membrane in the nose, stopping it from entering the body
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The study's lead author stresses more research is needed and the spray should not be seen as a replacement for vaccination
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He also notes the study was performed on young and relatively healthy participants, suggesting the need for testing on more vulnerable groups
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For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com
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For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan
