Don’t use gloves, advises health ministry

INCORRECT public use of gloves may give a “false sense of security” and could lead to the transmission of germs including the Covid-19 virus, the Ministry of Health said this week.

Prolonged use and unintentional touching of the face, eyes or a cell phone could lead to contamination and transmission, the ministry added in a statement on Tuesday (June 9).

Based on guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Ministry of Health advised the public against their use.

Meanwhile, businesses which require employees and customers to use single-use gloves, should provide clear instructions for the use, removal and disposal of these gloves.

Such instructions should be readily available and easily understood, the ministry advised.

The need for the use of medical gloves by various categories of healthcare workers and people caring for ill relatives at home who have Covid-19 is well defined by the WHO.

They reduce the risk of contamination of hands with blood and body fluids, and the risk of germ dissemination to the environment and transmission from the worker to the patient.

Gloves used while handling cases of Covid-19 at home should be placed in a bag and tied before disposal into the waste bin.

To defend against contracting Covid-19, other members of the public should practice proper hand hygiene, maintain a two-metre social distance, avoid crowded spaces and wear a mask.

For more information visit the Ministry of Health website www.gov.tc/moh/coronavirus or email covid19@gov.tc

Call the hotlines on 232-9444 and 333-0911 if you or someone you know has symptoms of Covid-19.