Spit-shielding hats are sold at a street vending stall in HCM City. — Photo cafef

People are rushing to buy special spit-shielding hats that contain a full face clear mask, thinking they will help fight COVID-19.

But one doctor has hit out, saying the hats are of little use preventing the spread of coronavirus.

The hats have been selling like hotcakes, particularly in HCM City, where customers are paying between VND120.000 (US$5)to VND150,000($6) each.

The hats, which are just normal hats with plastic sewn into the front, are can be purchased through a number of shops and online platforms in Ha Noi.

However Truong Huu Khanh, head of Infection Department at HCM City Children's Hospital No 1 told the local media it is wrong to compare these items to similar hats worn by members of the emergency services.

He said: “Those hats with transparent plastic pads are not resistant to viruses, bacteria, and nCoV. The similar-looking hats worn by health staff are made to medical standards.”

Some supermarkets in HCM city claim they are selling up to 20,000 hats each week. Another selling on social media said he is selling 5,000 each day.

Buying two hats for her son and her mother, Nguyen Minh Nguyet, 35, from Ha Dong District told Viet Nam News all she cared about was protecting her family.

“I need to protect my mother,” she said.

“She goes to the market every day and has a habit of talking to the sellers. The hat will at least help her as I cannot stop her from her own habit,” said Nguyet.

"If it cannot protect us from the virus, it will at least prevent the crazy dust in Ha Noi into our faces every day." — VNS