In the study, published in the journal Science Advances, the team tested the new type of immunisation for the virus based on the ancient form of medicine known as cupping, in which heated special cups are placed on the skin for a few minutes to create suction, immediately following a Covid shot.

They found rodents that were given the vaccine via the suction method generated antibody levels millions of times higher than a traditional injection.

“This suction-based technique is implemented by applying a moderate negative pressure to the skin after nucleic acid injection in a totally non-invasive manner,” said Dr Hao Lin, a professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Rutgers, in a statement.

“This method enables an easy-to-use, cost-effective and highly-scalable platform for both laboratory and clinical applications for nucleic-acid-based therapeutics and vaccines,” Lin added.

In the study, one group of rats received two injections of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate by South Korea-based GeneOne Life Science.

Another group received a single injection followed by a single suction and a final group received two injections followed by two suctions.