Some Experts Don’t Think Wearing Gloves To The Store Is Effective In Preventing Coronavirus
BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 27: A medical volunteers dressed in a protective suit, mask and goggles exchanges her latex gloves before receiving more visitors to test them for Covid-19 infection at a tent set up outside next to a doctor’s office on March 27, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Doctor Ulrike Lipke said she set up the tent as a way to offer testing yet avoid possible coronavirus infection inside the premises of her practice. Germany is seeking to radically ramp up its coronavirus testing capacity to up to 200,000 tests per day by the end of April as a means to allow people to return to work and hence get the crisis-stricken German economy back into gear. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
There is so much conflicting information over what will and won't keep people safe from coronavirus. The most common advice circulating is to wear a mask and gloves, stay home, and practice social distancing. But now there are experts who say that gloves are not effective in protecting people, especially when they go grocery shopping.
As The New York Post points out, "The meaningless gesture has left doctors and health experts shaking their heads — not only are the gloves ineffective, they may be worsening the spread of COVID-19." They also add that there have been no recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to do so.
Marilyn Roberts, a microbiologist and professor at the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, explains that,"The biggest issue is that people are picking up COVID-19 from other people. They’re not picking it up from surfaces." She adds there is no evidence that gloves do anything to protect people.
She also says that another issue with gloves is that people don't dispose of them properly. Also, people littering with their tossed out gloves.
Dr. Niket Sonpal, assistant clinical professor at Touro College of Medicine in New York, adds, "In medical school, we spend whole lessons on how to don gloves and remove them."
The New York Post also explained the proper way to take off gloves: "by pinching the glove at the wrist, turning it inside out while pulling it off your hand, and removing the next one so that your hand never touches the outer side of the glove." They add, "Although health-care workers need gloves to treat patients safely, and protect themselves, there’s no need to use them for a shop."
