Wearing Gloves – Breaking the Chain of Infection

WHY aren’t the experts telling us to wear gloves during a pandemic?

Wearing gloves may seem like a simple process, but using them in the wrong way can cause more contamination and since 30 percent of infections in health workers is due to taking off personal protective equipment incorrectly, untrained people can also infect themselves if they don’t know how to take them off correctly. 

So when should they be used and how do you take them off safely? Watch the video, or read the full story below:

People who haven’t been trained in how to use PPE can actually cross contaminate more surfaces, so spreading contamination, but also they are at an increased risk of contaminating themselves.

It may sound simple, taking gloves on and off, but 30 percent of health care workers become infected as they’re taking off their PPE and they’re highly trained in how to do it, so it sounds simple, but it’s not as simple as it seems.

So, if you are going to wear gloves, think about why.

Sure they protect your hands, but if your going to cross-contaminate more surfaces and make it unhealthier for other people, then it’s counterproductive.

Think for example if somebody handles cash using gloves, but then goes and prepares food, they are simply spreading contamination.

In that process, if you aren’t wearing gloves you are more likely to wash your hands, breaking that chain of infection.

So think about why you are using them and how you use them, if you are going to wear them.

If you are going to use gloves, use hand sanitiser first, before you put the gloves on, so you know your hands are clean.

Don’t wear anything below the elbow, so take your watch and jewellery off because they can become contaminated.

If you are wearing a long sleeve, make sure the gloves are pulled up over your sleeve.

Where contamination of the wear occurs is usually as they are taking the gloves off.

It may sounds simple, but you need to make sure that the outside of the glove does not touch your skin.

So when you are taking them off you need to grab the exterior of the glove and roll it off you hand.

Then you gather the glove you’ve taken off, up into the glove you are still wearing.

Then slide your fingers down your wrist, underneath the glove you are still wearing, without touching the exterior of the glove and roll it off your hand.

The gloves need to go directly in the bin.

You then need to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser if it is not available.

So that’s how you can use them, but remember the reason experts are not telling people to use them is because if they are used in the wrong way, or taken off incorrectly you may just contaminate more surfaces and infect yourself.

Learn more about Breaking the Chain of Infection.