Researchers in Australia are conducting a trial to see whether squirting a blood thinner into the nose could offer protection against COVID-19, BBC News reported on Wednesday.

The nasal spray reportedly uses the economical drug heparin in an attempt to neutralise COVID-19's spike protein.

According to researchers, when sprayed into the nose of an infected person, it appears to make them non-infectious.

Researchers hope the spray could help both as an early treatment and as a nasal mask to stop the virus spreading, BBC added.