The Chinese have tested a new vaccine against COVID-19: “Tea with milk”

China is testing a new inhaled COVID vaccine that is taken by mouth. “It was like a cup of tea with milk,” one Shanghai resident said in a video posted online by Chinese state media.

China is introducing an inhaled vaccine against COVID-19, Sky News tells. The vaccine, which is an aerosol that is absorbed by mouth, is being offered free of charge as a booster dose to previously vaccinated people, Shanghai city officials said.

Scientists hope that “needle-free” vaccines will make vaccinations more affordable in countries with fragile health systems because they are easier to administer. They can also convince people who are afraid of injections to get vaccinated.

China wants more people to get extra shots before authorities consider easing strict coronavirus pandemic restrictions that some say are holding back the Chinese economy and increasingly out of sync with the rest of the world.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is backing the country’s tough “zero COVID” policy to quell every outbreak and move quickly to restrict travel and impose quarantines when even a few cases are found.

As a result, millions of Chinese have recently found themselves locked in their homes, subjected to mass testing programs and moving around in public places while being controlled through mobile apps.

The gradual lifting of COVID restrictions in Hong Kong and Macao is a sign that the rest of the country may follow suit.

As of mid-October, 90% of Chinese have been fully vaccinated and 57% have received a booster.

A video released by Chinese state media shows people at a public health center receiving a new inhaled vaccine and stuffing the short spout of a translucent white cup into their mouths. The accompanying text states that after inhaling slowly, people hold their breath for five seconds, with the entire procedure completed in 20 seconds.

“It was like a cup of tea with milk,” one Shanghai resident says in the video. — When I inhaled it, it seemed a little sweet to me.”

The effectiveness of needleless vaccines has not been fully studied. Chinese regulators approved the inhaled vaccine in September, but only as a booster after studies showed it triggered an immune system response in people who had previously received two shots of another Chinese vaccine.

A vaccine given as a “fog” can ward off the virus before it reaches the rest of the respiratory system, although this will depend in part on the size of the droplets, says Dr. Vinita Bal, an immunologist in India.

Researchers in France began work on a nasal spray vaccine — another needle-free approach — last year, but trials have not yet yielded conclusive results.

Regulators in India have approved a nasal vaccine, but it has yet to be rolled out, reports Sky News.

About a dozen nasal vaccines are being tested worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

China has relied on domestically developed vaccines, most notably two inactivated vaccines that have proven effective in preventing death and serious illness, but less so than Pfizer and Moderna in stopping the spread of the disease.

Chinese authorities have not mandated vaccinations — entering an office building or other public places requires a negative COVID-19 test result, not proof of vaccination.

The “zero COVID” policy, Sky News emphasizes, means that only a small part of the population has been infected and thus developed immunity compared to other places.