Covid-19 vaccines and vaccinations

[Mij]

Engineers transform dental floss into needle-free vaccine

New method places inactivated viruses directly into mice’s gums

Floss-based vaccination targets the gingival sulcus for mucosal and systemic immunization

Abstract​

The oral cavity is an accessible site for vaccination, but its sublingual and buccal sites have limited vaccine uptake. Here we show that flat tape dental floss can deliver vaccines through the junctional epithelium of the gingival sulcus, exploiting its naturally leaky properties. Floss-based vaccination delivered protein, inactivated virus, peptide-presenting immunogenic nanoparticles and messenger RNA. In mice, gold nanoparticles functionalized with a peptide derived from the ectodomain of the transmembrane matrix 2 protein of human influenza virus stimulated local lymph nodes, increased CD4+T cells in lymph nodes, lungs and spleen, and boosted antibody-secreting cells in the bone marrow. Floss-based immunization induced strong and sustained immune activation across multiple organs, robust systemic and mucosal antibody responses, and durable protection against lethal influenza infection, independent of age, food and liquid consumption. Floss-based vaccination was superior to sublingual and comparable with intranasal vaccination. In human participants, fluorescent dye delivered via floss picks effectively reached gingival sulcus, supporting clinical feasibility.

These findings establish floss-based vaccination as a simple, needle-free strategy that enhances vaccine delivery and immune activation compared with existing mucosal immunization methods.

 

[Snow Leopard]

Engineers transform dental floss into needle-free vaccine

New method places inactivated viruses directly into mice’s gums

Floss-based vaccination targets the gingival sulcus for mucosal and systemic immunization

Any sort of oral/nasal vaccine tends to have very poor efficacy in humans. The hype about 'mucosal vaccines' tends to not result in real world efficacy but there might be some value using intramuscular vaccine first and an oral/nasal vaccine a month or two later as the boost.

 

[ahimsa]

From the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at University of Minnesota:

Study finds no safety issues with most recent mRNA COVID vaccines

At a time when federal officials are calling into question the safety and necessity of COVID-19 vaccines, the mRNA COVID vaccine version used this past season showed no elevated risk of any of the 29 serious adverse events that researchers in Denmark assessed.

The nationwide cohort study, published this week in JAMA Network Open, included 1,585,883 people (54% female), of whom 1,012,400 (64%) received the updated mRNA COVID vaccines containing the JN.1 lineage.

The scientists included all people eligible last season to receive the vaccine—everyone 65 or older and anyone in a high-risk group—who had already received three or more COVID vaccine doses.

No increased risk of 29 adverse events

The investigators assessed for serious side effects for 28 days after vaccine receipt.

"We analyzed 29 adverse outcomes adapted from prioritized lists of adverse events of special interest to COVID-19 vaccines," they wrote. "Each adverse event was analyzed separately."