Indians are reportedly stocking up on hazmat suits to prepare against the COVID-19 outbreak, possibly taking the lead from supermodel Naomi Campbell, who was recently spotted wearing one to an airport.
The demand for the protective hazmat attire has risen sharply over the last few days, according to reports, as has the demand for products such as latex gloves. (Hazmat is an abbreviation for 'Hazardous Materials'.)
One retailer in New Delhi was quoted as saying that he has sold 300 hazmat suits this month, while an online retailer confirmed that demand for such suits has jumped five-fold in the last month.
The hazmat suits are normally used as protective overalls or chemical suits, meant for heavy-duty, industrial cleaning operations.
A hazmat suit is estimated to cost around INR 2,000 while a pair of latex gloves costs about INR 100.
With the rise in COVID-19 cases, many pharmacy retailers have also been reportedly selling more hazmat suits over the last few weeks.
Hazmat suits are available on popular online retail platforms.
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