Are safety gloves now more widely used than ever?

Ever heard of the old Chinese adage, “May you live in interesting times”?

Even if you haven’t, there’s no need anymore– we’re all living in some very, very interesting times.

Of course, by ‘interesting’ we mean frightening and uncertain. With a worldwide death toll of over 150,000, COVID-19 has cast a shadowy gloom over this year, and it does not look to be abating any time soon.

Amid all the turmoil, misinformation has spread with a viral-like force as well. From outrageous conspiracy theories about the origins of the coronavirus in 5G cellular towers to a sudden shortage of toilet paper, people are afraid and acting like it. However, what are some legitimate precautions you can take to keep you and others around you safe?

You’ve seen the masks, the hand sanitizer, the six feet of distance between people as they mill about in public, but what about the gloves?

Today we’re going to talk a little bit about the gloves.

First, let’s start with the obvious: if you’re not touching anything, you don’t need gloves. Let’s say you’re out stretching your legs for a much-needed walk and are maintaining the proper distance from others. Chances are you’re not going to be touching anything, and if that’s the case, feel free to leave the gloves at home. However, if wearing gloves eases your anxiety and gives you peace of mind while you’re out and about still not touching anything, then feel free. A little extra precaution certainly won’t hurt anybody.

Although washing your hands for 20 seconds is still the best defence against the coronavirus, gloves are still a pretty good second bet. Be careful, though: gloves are only useful in public so long as you’re not touching any parts of your face with them. Otherwise, you may even be putting yourself at a higher risk of contracting the virus, as the coronavirus sticks pretty well to latex and other surfaces used to manufacture gloves.

Furthermore, did you know there’s a right way to remove your gloves? Let’s say you use your left, gloved hand to remove the glove on the right hand. Your newly bare right hand is now virus-free, but only temporarily– you’ll have to use that same hand to remove the germ-laden glove on your left hand, thereby negating any preventative measures you took to keep your right hand clean.

The secret is in the peel. What this means is that you’ll have to reach slightly inside the gloves to peel them off from the inside out. This peeling method is the only you can assure that both of your hands remain virus-free when removing your gloves.

It’s essential to try and instil a sense of relief in the public during a pandemic; it may be the very thing that helps us hold it together and ride this awful situation out. Taking preventative health measures is one of the best ways to do this, and wearing gloves is one of the best preventative measures there are. Just remember not to touch any area of your face if you’ve touched anything with your gloves. Otherwise, all that safety will be for nothing!