Swiss scientists are testing a new COVID-19 vaccine which could lead to complete protection against different strains of the virus.

The new treatment is a vector virus, like Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine or the AstraZeneca jab.

Vector vaccines make use of a ‘vector virus’, a modified, unthreatening version of a virus that sends instructions to cells on how to both recognise and fight against real viruses.

Newsflash obtained a statement from the Swiss government on 2nd August 2022 that explains that scientists at the Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) and the University of Bern have reported on an improved vector vaccine candidate made up of a Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV)-vectored COVID-19 vaccine.

Scientists administered doses of the optimised vaccine via the nasal routes of mice and found that the creatures were completely protected against a lethal dose of SARS-CoV-2 and partially protected from the Delta Varian of SARS-CoV-2.

According to the statement, the new development may enter clinical studies in order to evaluate its potential effects on human volunteers.

Gert Zimmer, principal investigator in the virology department stated: “In the present work, the VSV-vectored vaccine was administered via the intramuscular route, which protected mice from severe disease but did not completely block virus replication in the respiratory tract.”

“Only the induction of local immune responses will help to block SARS-CoV-2 at sites of primary replication and may prevent virus transmission.”

The discovery could be applied to other diseases while future work will be focused on generating a strong and enduring mucosal immunity to SARS-CoV-2.