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Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Protective Efficacy and Pulmonary Immune Response Following Subcutaneous and Intranasal BCG Administration in Mice
Published on: September 19, 2016
[Is it possible that BCG vaccine protects against COVID-19?]
Reinout van Crevel1,2, Jos W M van der Meer1, Mihai G Netea1
1Radboud UMC, afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Nijmegen.
Abstract:
A number of clinical trials are currently underway worldwide to assess whether BCG, the old vaccine against tuberculosis, can protect against COVID-19 infection. In this Perspective, we briefly outline the background, the immunological mechanisms (in particular induction of 'innate immune memory' or 'trained immunity'), and further considerations for the potential future use of BCG against viral and other infections.
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