Even with the shelter-in-place orders, there are some times when you absolutely must leave your house to run errands. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, you still need to obtain household items, groceries, medicine and other essential items. It’s just not possible to live in a bubble!
And while most of us know to wear a face covering in public per CDC guidelines, there are still so many unknowns to running errands in this current environment.
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Should you wear gloves? If so, when do you need to dispose of them? Should you wipe down your shopping cart? It seems like even the most cautious of us are likely to slip up at some point.
Here's what experts say are the mistakes you should avoid when running around town:
READ MORE: This Is The Worst Mistake You Can Make When Wearing Gloves, According To Health Experts
Thinking That Gloves Keep Your Hands Clean
The most resounding answer we heard from experts when asked what mistake people make is to think that gloves make you invisible! People tend to believe that when they're wearing gloves, such as latex gloves, then their hands will remain sterile and clean. This is just not the case, California doctor Brandon Colby, MD, and founder of Sequencing.com, tells us.
"Similar to how the coronavirus can cling onto bare hands, the virus can also cling onto gloves," he warns. "If you choose to wear gloves, it is important to change them often."
Why? "Many times, a person will put on a pair of gloves before going into the grocery store and then will keep that same pair of gloves on after their leave store, such as while opening the car trunk (potentially transmitting virus to the handle of the car trunk), loading the bags of food into their car (potentially transmitting virus to the bags), opening the car door (potentially transmitting the virus to the car door handle) and then even driving with gloves on (potentially transmitting the virus to the steering wheel and interior of the car)."
"Some people may even keep the gloves on until they’re back inside the house, which means their keys and doorknob are also now potentially contaminated," he warns. Yikes!
So--don't forget to change your gloves after every use, dispose of them in the trash and wash your hands before touching other surfaces.
