Wearing gloves to protect yourself from coronavirus could be causing more harm than good.
New Government advice suggests that ditching the gloves could be a better way of keeping the deadly virus at bay, and that regular handwashing instead is the way to go.
This is because people can still touch the areas around their mouth and face while wearing protective gloves that are actually contaminated on the outside.
And on top of this, people could be unwillingly transferring the infection directly onto their hands when taking the gloves off and throwing them in a bin.
Tuesday morning’s daily Government briefing on the disease highlighted the issue to mark International Hand Hygiene Day.
Senior official at the Department of the Taoiseach, Liz Canavan, said: “In relation to hand hygiene, the Health Service Executive has been getting a lot of queries about wearing disposable gloves in public.
“The HSE has advised that a key message for hand hygiene day is that they do not recommend using gloves while doing your shopping or when you are out and about.
“If there are bugs on your gloves those bugs often end up on your hands when you take the gloves off and from there they can very easily end up in your mouth, nose and eyes.
“It’s much better to clean your hands regularly and properly.
“This is one of the main things, along with social distancing that each of us can contribute to allow us all to exit safely and smoothly over the coming weeks and months from the current situation.”
Ms Canavan added: “What will continue to be a feature of our lives for some time and especially as we tentatively reopen is a continued focus on social distancing and the hygiene measures.
“This is a good point to tell you that today the HSE marks the World Health Organisation Hand Hygiene Day with the message: 'Hand hygiene is one of the most important things that we can do to stop the spread of the Covid-19 infection.'
“Every year when World Hand Hygiene Day comes around we wonder how we will find a fresh way to talk to people about the importance of hand hygiene in preventing infection.
"This year it is all very different.
“Preventing infection with Covid-19 is now on everyone’s mind.
“Recent research undertaken by the Department of Health shows that in relation to safe behaviours, 96% of people are washing their hands more often as a result of Covid-19.
“The research also shows that 90% of people who are looking ahead say that they will continue to wash their hands frequently after the pandemic.
“We want people to keep on going with their hand hygiene, help your children to learn good hand hygiene and help us to stop the spread of Covid-19 and other infections."
