While the only official CDC recommendations for wearing gloves during the COVID-19 outbreak are for healthcare workers, many people have taken to wearing them when running errands around town. Wearing gloves may give you a sense of security, but it does not replace proper hygiene and hand washing, experts warn.
It may even contribute to the spread of the virus when not done correctly!
Case in point–should you wear your gloves in the car? The answer is quite simple. Once and for all:
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"Gloves should also not be worn any place that isn't exposed to the public--for example, they should not be worn inside your car," Brandon Colby, MD, founder of Sequencing.com and the author "Outsmart Your Genes," tells us exclusively.
So--what should you do? "Similar to the importance of washing hands often and using antibacterial cleaner, it's very important to change gloves often," Dr. Colby advises.
Remove the gloves before entering your vehicle, and dispose of them in a trash reciprocal.
If there aren't any cans in the vicinity of your car, make sure you have a back-up plan for disposing of them, experts warn. (Such as carrying a plastic bag for trash in your car).
Improper disposal of used gloves and masks poses a great threat to public health and safety, warns Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of public health at Ball State University.
Dropping masks in public places is "overwhelming public health and sanitation systems," and creates "unsanitary conditions that can increase the risk of infectious disease in communities." Yikes!
Last, but not least, don't let the germs catch a ride with you in the car! Bring a safe cleaner, such as Force Of Nature, with you to wipe down surfaces.
"Some places to spray down with an EPA-approved disinfectant when leaving and entering the house: shoe soles, handbag, car door handles, steering wheel and doorknobs, phone, car keys and wallet, too," says Dr. Jeanne Breen, Infectious Disease Physician and Researcher.
So--there you have it. Everything you need to know about wearing gloves in the car to protect yourself and others from the spread of novel coronavirus. Stay safe out there!
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