Felt sick over customers wearing disposable gloves when shopping

[noggla]

Do they not understand that this is worse for germ cross contamination than bare hands? Doctors, nurses, anaesthetists, dentists, vets etc change their gloves with every patient or more often if a messy job.

Shoppers with disposable gloves touch hundreds of stuff, face, money, cards etc.

This particular couple I saw wearing disposable gloves which had holes in the knuckles. This is caused by sweat breaking down the material in the DG. Then as they left the shop, they took off their gloves with their teeth and popped them into their coat pockets. That made me feel sick

I do wish someone would tell them that their protection is rubbish. I would love to see their faces on showing the results of Petri dishes with their gloves being swabbed v hands washed 15 mins earlier.

The thing is you don’t know their circumstances. It’s possible they may be genuinely vulnerable, or perhaps have a vulnerable person at home. And while I don’t necessarily understand why they think that disposable gloves are the answer as opposed to say, carrying a hand sanitiser, they obviously feel that it works for them.

As long as they’re not going round demanding other people do the same it’s no-one else’s business really as long as what they’re doing isn’t of any risk to anyone else.

I wear a mask on public transport because I had a transplant earlier this year and am immune suppressed. If I catch COVID, flu, any other kind of infection, i am at real risk of ending up back in hospital at best.

I’m not paranoid, I go out, I use public transport, I have to as I don’t drive. But I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve heard on buses bitching about me wearing a mask. Along the lines of “for fuck’s sake why is she wearing a mask, people need to get a fucking grip.” And on one occasion, “If she’s that paranoid she should just stay at home. We don’t need people being scared into wearing masks again.”

I’ve never insisted anyone else wear one, so frankly they should keep their opinions to themselves.

And there’s another thing. This isn’t just about COVID. At this time of year we have flu of varying types, Noro virus, various other cold and flu bugs which are just as dangerous.

In fact it’s a fact that there were less deaths from flu when we went through COVID, and it wasn’t just in lockdown, it was specifically during the COVID measures.

It’s because of the flu 9 years ago that I ended up in the position I am now where I very nearly died, several times, and ultimately had to have a transplant.

So if I want to wear a mask then frankly that’s my business.

I won’t interfere in other people’s decisions on that score, they can keep their nose out of mine.

I work on a supermarket checkout, you’d have a nervous breakdown if you saw some of the things I see on a daily basis.

I often wear medical gloves to cook at home because washing my hands frequently irritates the eczema/psoriasis on my hands leading to razor blade-like splits all over my hands.
As soon as the temp gets at or below 10c I wear gloves to protect my hands from the cold for the same reason.
I wear a medical mask when I am ill and coughing or sneezing and need to be out around others.
If I think others around me may be ill I will pop a mask on as I would want to try and avoid catching it.
When I grocery shop I try to remember to clean the trolley with a Lysol wipe or similar.
I have anti-bac wipes in my car and bags to wipe my hands when out as needed, ie after using ATM, fuelling up car.
I wash my hands when I get home.
It's all very sensible. Most people I know do similar. I think many of us learned consideration for others re illness from Covid, don't want to get sick or pass anything on to others. If I'm wearing a mask for my own comfort and think I'm getting side eye for it I'll cough a few times. 😂
I think viruses have become worse. I never used to get sick very often. Since Covid, having had it several times, I'd rather wear a mask and clean a trolley, thanks.
I remember I only used to see Asian people wearing masks and that was well before Covid and they were considered freaks. When I travelled to Japan pre-covid I saw many people out in public wearing masks. I learned it was out of respect to not get others ill when one needed to he out/at work and felt ill.
So, sensible and considerate.

If you can get a rubber glove to fit around your head, you can do a passable impression of a chicken 🐔

This is what I don’t get - you’re either trying to protect yourself, others or both. I don’t understand the people who say ‘stay home’ or bitch about your mask. Masks are very triggering for some though and they may not be able to or want to access the support they need to address that anxiety. Sorry you have been bearing the brunt of this by some.

I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if someone had gloves on - I don’t know their reasons. If I saw someone wearing a decent respirator, I’d assume they were trying to protect themselves. If I saw someone wearing a baggy blue mask, I’d either feel a bit sorry for them as they’re trying to protect themselves but either don’t have the knowledge or money to protect themselves better, or I’d think ‘shit, this one’s got something nasty, might hang back a bit’. I realise how ridiculous the second thought is as at least those people are protecting others a bit, rather than someone who thinks covid/flu/noro etc are harmless to others/doesn’t cross their minds not to pass on or just don’t want to protect others at all. I think it’s because not deliberately spreading viruses is seen by some as more weird than reining it in a bit - peer pressure is very powerful, even if it’s nonsensical.

Like this? 😁

I also sometimes wear gloves while cooking. Not always, just for big jobs where I will be washing my hands over and over again. I don’t skimp on the glove changes and I still wash, just not as aggressively.

I have to order accelerant free powder free nitrile gloves and they tend to only be available in extremely large batches so they end up costing very little per glove.

Hospital admittance due to Covid is already rising rapidly, hardly anyone is eligible for a covid jab. Getting it done privately is expensive & unnecessarily so.

the cost analysis of the NHS jabs v cost of illness wasn't terrible realistic , I think the information I read was in the BMJ. It's going to be a worrying winter.

Why do you care? It really doesn't affect you so just let it go, although I have to say it's something I don't recall ever seeing.

Or could be the repeated putting gloves on then taking off could weaken the gloves.

My friend has asthma had Covid twice in March 2020 - that was revealed in an antibody test as no test centre for 50 miles then and summer 2022. Asthma has got worse since then as on stronger and more medication.

Another friend’s DH is having radiotherapy for cancer and he could get the booster. But my friend couldn’t. In the past people living with people who got Covid boosters due to health or illness could get boosters. My friend got a private Covid booster for £85 (I think)

I still take things that people have had in their mouths. I've done ten years on the till with only the occasional illness and I put it down to NEVER touching my face or eating or anything until I've washed my hands. First thing I do when I come off the till is to wash my hands with soap and water. Because, as someone pointed out upthread, people are minging.

@noggla why didn’t you tell them?

That is just non-sensical to me. I'm in Vancouver, Canada. We get text messages advising when we are eligible for covid and flu shots. Fully covered.
It's basic. 🤷‍♀️

So whereas you would be washing your hands repeatedly do you now wear a single pair of gloves to do it all? That feels way more unhygienic to me.

There’s also the environmental cost of the use of single wear gloves unnecessarily.

What? Where is all saga going on? 🙄🤷‍♀️

They sound a bit mad

For one second I envision they took their gloves off and took their teeth out and put them both in the bag! 😂

there will be multiple non gloved shoppers who have not washed their hands 15 minutes ago, or at all that day, even after sneezing in to them or scratching their bum or preparing food. Gloves aren’t good in meal prep or surgery but in the supermarket it really makes no odds

I want to know that too?

I have never seen anyone wearing disposable gloves when out and about shopping, not even in the darkest days of Covid.

I do remember a girl at work (hospitality business) asking our boss if she could wear them during her shift. The boss said absolutely not, as the company had been told that the gloves harboured and passed on way more germs than our washed / sanitised hands!

Why are so so worked up about what others do? They aren't harming you so let them do what they like...

i had to check the date of the thread
wearing gloves is crazy
did they wear masks too?

I’m on chemo. If I catch something it’s straight to hospital. I wear a mask and it’s a scary place out there when you’re going through something tough.

these people are obviously scared and they may have compromised immunity or just extremely anxious.

personally I wouldnt wear gloves but I do carry sanitizer. Have some humanity?

I wear a mask when out. I have cancer and on chemo. I will do whatever is necessary to keep myself alive to see my kids grow up!

so I’m crazy am I?