Scientists in the United States have developed a coronavirus vaccine which can be given in one dose and is effective in preventing infection in mice susceptible to COVID-19, a study revealed.

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The researchers will now try to test the vaccine in non-human primates and then eventually on humans to gauge the effectiveness of the vaccine to combat the virus, according to Washington University School of Medicine which published its findings in medical journal Cell.

The new vaccine is administered through the nose, which is widely believed to be the initial site of the infection. According to researchers, the naval route created an immune response throughout the body, especially in the nose and respiratory tract. 

All other vaccines so far have been using injection into the arm or thigh muscle. The scientists called the initial results “surprising” and “promising” while adding that vaccines that require two doses for full protection may not be as effective as people may not be administered another shot due to various reasons.

The scientists working on the nasal solution said it was important to note that a single dose produced a “robust immune response”. The race for finding a vaccine has gathered strength in the past few months as the death toll worldwide continues to rise.

The global death toll from the new coronavirus has surpassed 800,000 with several European countries which were initially hit the virus experiencing new infection levels. South Korea has announced new measures as the virus continued to spread in the country after it was controlled earlier.

Latin America has become the hardest hit region with the virus even as the United States has reported over 176,000 cases and over 5 million infection cases.