Corona virus - to think that most people would be better wearing gloves than worrying about antibacterial hand-gel?

[FirewomanSamantha]

Prompted by having just seen a picture in a newspaper of a man on the tube wearing breathing apparatus but with bare hands, which seems a bit pointless because if he has small cuts on his hands could catch it through those anyway.

Use of antibacterial hand-gel in the quantities needed for it to be effective, will irritate many people's hands, meaning that they are then actually more likely to catch it though irritated skin.

It's winter and really easy just to put a pair of woolly gloves on when you go out.

www.androidcentral.com/how-clean-and-disinfect-your-android-smartphone

It’s a RESPIRATORY virus, you catch it via mouth, nose, eyes, not cuts in skin.

I’m far more likely to absentmindedly tough my face during a train/tube journey if I don’t have gloves on than if I do. Wearing gloves at points of the day where you are at increased risk of picking something up but have no immediate access to hand washing facilities seems sensible to me. Wash hands where this is possible, wear gloves when it isn’t to avoid touching surfaces with your bare hands and to prevent you touching your face.

I don’t know why people seem to assume wearing gloves and washing hands are mutually exclusive. Or that gloves are difficult to clean. Or that people would use disposable gloves.

Gloves and mask would be best, or a helmet.

I've already said this on other threads. I always wear my leather gloves when on public transport or using supermarket trolleys, pinpads etc. And yes I'm much less likely to touch my face when wearing them. I clean them with anti viral wipes when I get home. Generally wear disposable gloves during most of my working day too, I just wear barrier cream underneath to stop my hands drying out as we use strong hand cleansers as well. Doesn't negate the need for hand washing but it does reduce it.

People would do better to wash their hands prop5and not touch their faces

Properly and

Wotrewelookingat - there is no need to be rude, particularly when you are incorrect anyway. A respiratory virus means that it affects your respiratory system, not that it is the only way that it can be transmitted. Another way of transmission is via rubbing your eyes, as it can be transmitted via the mucus membranes, and your eyes are not part of your respiratory system.

Although from your post, it would appear that you think that your eyes are part of your respiratory system?

Also mobile phones are filthy.

Pointless wearing gloves and all that if you never clean the phone.

Although from your post, it would appear that you think that your eyes are part of your respiratory system

If you’d ever had fluoresceine eyedrops and then blown yellow stuff out of your nose you’d know they are.

Don’t think anybody needs gloves or hand gel. Just wash your hands.

So you’re wearing latex gloves and by some chance the virus becomes active on them. That bag strap you are constantly hoiking on your shoulder, it’s now on there. That tiny itch you have on your scalp you scratch that . Unless you go through sheep dip type baths you won’t stop it by wearing gloves. And unlike hospitals who will incinerate them you will just be adding to landfill.

WiseUpJanetWeiss, they aren’t technically but that sounds interesting!

I’m not trying to get into an argument with anyone, just interested in the best ways to avoid it spreading and stating that it can’t be spread in a particular way, when it can isn’t helpful.

I agree that as far as possible, washing your hands is the best thing that you can do, and is all that I am currently doing.

Firewoman I was being facetious, and I actually agree with much of what you say.

The trouble with gloves, as anyone with knowledge of infection prevention and control will tell you, is that they can lull the wearer into false assurance of safety if not used correctly. We mainly wear them either to protect our hands, or to protect patients, medicines etc. from us. Using them for both purposes is tricky to get right.

I wear (fabric) gloves all the time 8 months of the year (cold hands). I'm sure this puts me at higher risk since I can't keep them as clean as I could my bare hands.

Very interesting seeing all the replies

She has hand sanitizer maybe we’ll stick with that