An antihistamine nasal spray could help ward off COVID-19

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-09-03 01:00

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Regular use of the antihistamine nasal spray Azelastine could reduce your chances of getting COVID-19, according to international research. The researchers recruited 450 people to participate in a study across 2023-2024, with 227 participants using an azelastine spray three times daily for 56 days while the rest were given a placebo spray. Regularly testing the participants for COVID-19, the researchers say five participants from the azelastine group tested positive during the study compared to 15 in the placebo group. They say the results are promising but will need to be tested in larger studies.