Emily Henderson

New research has advanced COVID-19 vaccine work in several ways: using a modified live attenuated mumps virus for delivery, showing that a more stable coronavirus spike protein stimulates a stronger immune response, and suggesting a dose up the nose has an advantage over a shot.

Based on these combined findings in rodent experiments, Ohio State University scientists envision one day incorporating a coronavirus antigen into the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine as a way to produce COVID-19 immunity in kids.

“If infants and children could develop immunity against COVID infection with the MMR vaccine, that would be great – no extra immunization needed.”

… the Li laboratory developed a rapid recombination system that enables the insertion of any antigen into a mumps or measles virus in a week. “With this technique, the MMR vaccine can be rapidly updated to protect against new SARS-CoV-2 variants as they emerge,”