Could this allergy nasal spray help prevent COVID?

(WGN Radio) – An over-the-counter nasal spray for allergies could actually protect you from catching COVID, a recent randomized trial found.

Using a nasal antihistamine that contains azelastine three times a day for eight weeks was found to reduce the instances of COVID-19 infection by 69%. Incidentally, the study found people who used the nasal spray were also far less likely to get the common cold (rhinovirus) when compared to the placebo group.

Dr. Thomas Moran, chief medical officer at Central DuPage Hospital in Illinois, explained how it works in an interview with WGN Radio:

"Now when you think about what are the reasons that we're taking nasal sprays, we get nasal passageway inflammation. That inflammation causes breakdown in the mucus membrane. That membrane in our nasal passages help prevent us from getting viruses and bacteria that can enter into our bodies. And this nasal spray looks like it tamps down a little bit of a protein that increases inflammation overall, and it kind of makes it difficult for the COVID virus to enter in and affect us."

Hear more of Dr. Moran's interview in the audio player below:

While the initial trial was small (studying a group of 450 people), it's especially promising because of how simple of an intervention it is, said Dr. Robert Bals, who led the trial. It could be an easy and inexpensive option for those looking to boost their protection against respiratory viruses.

"Azelastine nasal spray could provide an additional easily accessible prophylactic to complement existing protective measures, especially for vulnerable groups, during periods of high infection rates, or before traveling," Bals said in a press release.

Dr. Moran agreed: "Relatively safe, not really many side effects – sometimes you get a little bit of congestion with it – and it's fairly inexpensive overall to use."