Many people opt to wear disposable gloves when they go out, such as during grocery shopping. If you choose to use Nitrile gloves, it’s crucial to wear them properly. Otherwise, they may do more harm than good. 

What do Nitrile gloves actually do? 

You don’t get sick from having the coronavirus on your skin; you get sick from the virus entering your face holes. That’s why we wash our hands: If the virus gets on your hands, you wash it off before touching your face.

So the purpose of wearing gloves isn’t to keep the virus off your skin. It’s to keep the virus on the outside of your gloves, allowing you to remove them and have clean hands again.

That said, the best practice is to wash your hands before and after wearing gloves, just to ensure you haven’t contaminated your gloves or vice versa.

You still need to be mindful of what you touch

If you touch a doorknob and then your face, you may have just transferred a virus to your face—whether you’re wearing gloves or not.

One risk of wearing gloves is that people often believe they’re fully protected, leading them to carelessly touch both clean and dirty items with the same pair of gloves. Have you ever seen someone at a sandwich shop take your money with gloves on, then make the next person’s sandwich with those same gloves? That’s exactly what you want to avoid.

So if you’re shopping with gloves on, you should remove them before touching your phone or wallet. Or if you touch those items with your gloves on, be sure to clean them afterward.

Know the downsides of wearing gloves 

Everything has its pros and cons, including wearing gloves. A significant downside is that gloves are part of the PPE that healthcare workers need to perform their jobs safely. Just as we reserve medical-grade masks for professionals, it’s wise to leave gloves to them as well.

Finally, if you’re wearing gloves, dispose of them safely. In the garbage can, please.