(WXYZ) — A newly developed nasal spray is being marketed as the next big break in fighting the spread of COVID-19. Its developers say it can kill 99.9% of virus particles.
Clinical trials are now approved in the U.S. for the spray, and it's getting a lot of attention in metro Detroit.
“As a black man in Detroit, I can tell you a million things I wouldn’t trust, but sometimes you have to put fear aside," retired Detroit firefighter Dave Parnell said.
His nephew, Detroit Police Captain Jonathan Parnell, tragically lost his battle to COVID-19.
Dave has gotten both doses of the vaccine, and is continuing to warn others about the dangers of COVID-19, and hopes the new spray will be offered soon.
Dr. Matthew Sims, the head of infectious disease research at Beaumont Health, said the new spray could offer more benefits.
"It's from a company called "Sanotize" and was developed in Canada by an Israelia biochemist.
“If people who have COVID use it, it can reduce the viral load in the upper respiratory, maybe it will reduce the spread. You never know where the magic bullet will come from. So far, we don’t have a magic bullet," Sims said.
It's designed to be effective against a wide range of viruses. It contains a broad-spectrum anti-viral, described as a hand sanitizer equivalent for the nose. Each bottle lasts a month, with one spray in the morning and another at night.
So far, the FDA won't comment on the review of the spray. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also said they're waiting to learn more about the technology.
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