HomeHOWHow Do Gloves Protect You From Coronavirus

How Do Gloves Protect You From Coronavirus

1. INTRODUCTION

COVID‐19 is an infection caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 coronavirus. 1 It was first identified in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019 2 ; 3 months later, almost half a million cases of contagion had been identified across 197 countries. 3 On 11 March, 2020, WHO characterized the COVID‐19 outbreak as a pandemic. 1

While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some might progress to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome and death. 4 , 5 , 6 The case fatality rate reported across countries, settings and age groups is highly variable, but it would range from about 0.5% to 10%. 7 In hospitalized patients, it has been reported to be higher than 10% in some centres. 8

Gloves are part of personal protective equipment (PPE). For healthcare workers, they reduce the risk of infection and contamination, taking care of both healthcare workers and patients. During the current COVID‐19 pandemic, healthcare workers are in the front‐line, at greater risk of becoming infected than the general population. Gloves, along with face masks and other elements, allow to reduce that risk.

However, people have also used gloves in ordinary activities like going to the supermarket, drugstores, or in public transport. This may create a false sense of security, making people more susceptible to contamination due to an inadequate use or when taking them out without the appropriate technique. The incorrect use of gloves by the general population could increase the risk of infection and contamination of surfaces. Additionally, the use of gloves by the general population could threaten the supply of PPE for healthcare workers.

Refer to more articles:  How Tight Should Ski Gloves Be

The efficacy of using gloves by the general population to prevent COVID‐19 is unknown. Despite not having evidence to support its use, a large number of people have decided to use them, and governments and media do not have a clear message about using gloves by the general population. If we also consider the shortage of medical supplies, itis crucial to determine the efficacy of routine glove use by the general population in preventing COVID‐19.

Using innovative and agile processes, taking advantage of technological tools, and resorting to the collective effort of several research groups, this living systematic review aims to provide a timely, rigorous, and continuously updated summary of the evidence available on the efficacy of the use of gloves in the prevention of COVID‐19 disease in healthy population.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular

Recent Comments