Scientists are looking to trial Covid vaccines which exist in pill form this year.
According to Business Insider, Oravax, a joint venture by the Israeli-American company Oramed and the Indian company Premas Biotech, stated that it hoped to begin the first phase of clinical human trials by June this year.
An oral vaccine could "potentially [enable] people to take the vaccine themselves at home," Nadav Kidron, CEO of Oramed, said in the release.
“The vaccine could be shipped in a normal refrigerator and stored at room temperature, making it logistically easier to get it anywhere around the world."
This makes it a more scalable, easier to distribute and simpler to administer the vaccine, especially for those who are “severely needle-phobic,” said Paul Hunter, Professor in Medicine at the University of East Anglia.
"We would need properly conducted studies to prove [oral vaccines'] worth," he said.
Other forms of second-generation vaccines are being looked into, including a nasal spray and patches.
