Nose Sprays Stops COVID and a Common Cold

Nose sprays help block the common cold and COVID-19 by 70 %. It only takes 3 squirts of Azelastine each day to stop infections.

How does nose sprays stop colds and COVID?

A study by Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says using over-the-counter anti-allergy nasal spray Azelastine 0.1% every day for sixty days stopped people from getting COVID-19 by a whopping 70 % and even helped stop the common cold. Those who were exposed to COVID-19 or at high risk for serious infection increased their dose from 3 to 5 squirts per nose had better anti-viral effects.

Azelastine works by blocking viruses from getting into the lining of our nose and lungs. It gets rid of inflammation, blocks special receptors sites (in the case of COVID, ACE2), and reduces the amount of virus that can get make us sick. In people who tested positive for COVID-19 or the common cold (rhinovirus) those taking Azelastine had fewer symptoms and cleared the virus sooner.

It’s best to start Azelastine as soon as you come in contact with someone who is sick. It improves your chances of not getting COVID-19 by 70 %. It also helps prevent the common cold. However, if you develop cold symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 using 3 to 5 sprays per nostril can also help speed up your recovery.

This is critical with cold season directly ahead us starting in late August or early September and lasting through March and April with peaks in December and February. During the fall and winter months cold viruses live better in cooler, low humidity conditions and with people spending more time indoors the risk of being exposed and getting sick with a cold, flu or COVID-19 goes up.

Can other nose sprays work to stop colds or COVID?

Absolutely, other nasal sprays outside of Azelastine can help prevent COVID-19 and colds. Journal of Allergy and Immunology says people with COVID-19 who were already taking a steroid nose spray like Flonase or Nasonex were less likely to be hospitalized, go to the intensive care unit, or dying. It seems that steroid nasal sprays protect people who were already using them to prevent allergies like running nose, and cough from getting more serious COVID-19 lung infections.

Steroid sprays are beneficial especially in COVID-19 as the nose is the “major portal of entry,” of the virus into the body as it is with other cold viruses. The theory is steroids directly kill the virus partially by blocking the ACE2 or COVID-19 binding site (similar to Azelastine) that is needed to infect us. In terms, of using nasal steroids to combat a common cold the benefit is less certain as steroids may weaken our natural immunity.

Other nasal sprays, including saline, and Vicks gel-based nasal sprays (nose decongestants) may also block the common cold says a European study. They found that using either spray reduces the number of sick days, symptoms, and need for antibiotics by “washing out the virus.” And went on to say, that nasal sprays are highly recommended to use at the first sign of a cold, sore throat, or flu-like symptoms, with even better results the more often the spray is used.

Any final advice on nasal sprays to fight COVID or the common cold?

There are few options to prevent and protect us from the current strains of COVID-19 (or SARS-CoV-2) and the common cold as we enter flu and cold season. This is especially important as many of the treatments to prevent COVID-19 infection monoclonal antibodies are less effective against the current COVID-19 strains so other safe and effective options are needed. It seems that nasal sprays especially Azelastine with its antihistamine and anti-viral properties may be the best and safest option to prevent and combat infection.

Other types of nasal sprays can protect us against COVID-19 including over the counter (OTC) steroid nasal sprays like Flonase and Nasonex but are not the best choice for protecting us from the common cold.

Gel-based nasal sprays or saline (salt) nasal sprays may be used to stop the cold or flu, reduce symptoms and stop hospitalization. And, in Europe it’s advised to start nasal sprays at the first sign of a sore throat, cold, or flu-like symptoms to “wash out the virus.” It’s also important to be vaccinated against the flu or influenza to prevent infection.

That said, the best protection from getting COVID-19 and the common cold is to avoid contact with sick people with cold symptoms, and if unable, a reasonable strategy based on this new study is to immediately start Azelastine 0.1 % nasal spray with 3-5 sprays per each nostril for a least a week if you are exposed or test positive for COVID-19.

It’s a safe and effective option to reduce symptoms and get better faster. Check with your doctor before starting any new medication, and also if you would benefit from the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

If you have any questions AskDoctorH, we are here to help. Check out more tips on how to prevent colds at www.AskDoctorH.com.