What disposable gloves to buy to protect against coronavirus

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We compare popular options and tell you how to use them correctly

Do gloves protect against viruses

There is no consensus in the world as to whether gloves help reduce the risk of infection. The Department of Health recommends wearing them in public, and the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) consider this measure to be unnecessary.

At the same time, research confirms that disposable medical gloves protect against the penetration of bacteria and viruses. True, it should be noted here that this applies only to the skin of the hand: if you scratch your eyes or nose with a glove, the virus can get on the mucous membrane in the same way as if you did it with your bare hand.

Be that as it may, if your area has made it mandatory to wear gloves in public, you will still have to buy them. Below we will analyze the main types of disposable models and tell you which of them can protect you not only from fines, but also from the virus, as well as provide comfort to wear and good tactile sensitivity.

What disposable gloves to buy

Latex

These gloves are made from natural rubber latex. They are durable, flexible, adhere well to the skin and provide excellent tactile sensitivity.

Intact latex gloves can protect the skin from viruses up to 0.025 microns in size (coronavirus particles are 0.1 microns in diameter). However, they are sensitive to the effects of aggressive media, so do not treat them with alcohol-containing solutions.

In addition, latex gloves are not suitable for everyone, as contact with plant-based rubber proteins can cause allergies. Symptoms are itching, skin rash that is warm to the touch, hives, or eczema. They may appear after a few minutes or appear after prolonged wear. If you experience something like this, stop contact with the allergen - replace latex gloves with other disposable options.

The cost of latex gloves is about 50 rubles per pair. Sets of 50-100 can be purchased online.

What to buy

• Latex gloves from ARCHDALE, 100 pieces, 1 599 rubles →
• Powdered latex gloves, 100 pieces, 1,090 rubles →

Nitrile

These gloves are made from a blend based on nitrile latex, a fully synthetic material. They are used by healthcare professionals who are allergic to natural rubber and provide the same virus protection as latex.

In addition, synthetic gloves are more durable and resistant to aggressive environments. Therefore, they can be safely treated with alcohol and put on to clean the room with some kind of chemical cleaning agent.

If you wear gloves at work or spend a lot of time in public places, the nitrile latex option is the best choice because it combines durability, antiseptic resistance and comfort. In terms of cost, they do not differ from latex ones - about 40-50 rubles per pair, if you buy in a set of 50-100 pieces.

What to buy

• Nitrile gloves from MediOK, 100 pieces, 1 448 rubles →
• Black nitrile gloves, 100 pieces, 1 290 rubles →

Vinyl

These gloves are made of PVC compound. They fit snugly around the hand and provide good tactile sensitivity, making them comfortable to work with.

Vinyl gloves are quite durable and resistant to acids and alcohols, but at the same time they are much less protective against viruses than latex and nitrile gloves. With active use, they pass germs in 63% of cases, as opposed to 7% for latex.

Therefore, they are used not in medicine, but in industry, cosmetology, cleaning - wherever it is necessary to protect hands from aggressive compounds, but at the same time do not restrict finger movements.

Vinyl gloves are cheaper than latex and nitrile gloves - about 20-30 rubles per pair in sets of 100 pieces.

What to buy

• Vinyl gloves, 100 pieces, 1 399 rubles →
• Black vinyl gloves, 100 pieces, 1 250 rubles →

Polyethylene

Such gloves do not provide good tactile sensitivity. Basically, you put two bags on your hands that follow the shape of your fingers. And it is unlikely that you will be able to work normally in them, and even more so for a long time: plastic gloves do not allow air to pass through, so your hands will sweat very quickly.

As far as virus protection is concerned, we were unable to find information on this. It remains to be assumed that if the gloves do not even allow air to pass through, the virus will not pass through them either.

The main advantage of these gloves is their low cost. You can buy them at 5-8 rubles per pair in packs of 100-500 pieces. So if you only wear gloves to go to the store, for 300-500 rubles, provide yourself with a means of protection for several months in advance.

What to buy

• Polyethylene gloves, 100 pieces, 235 rubles →
• Polyethylene gloves from TEXTOP, 100 pieces, 235 rubles →
• Polyethylene gloves, 500 pieces, 1 450 rubles →

How long can gloves be used

Disposable gloves can be worn for up to 2 hours. Then you need to remove them and throw them in the trash, and not try to disinfect. This is especially true for latex gloves, which, after contact with alcohol-containing solutions, can become more permeable.

Even if you kill the virus on the surface of synthetic gloves, repeated use is fraught with damage to the integrity. In this case, wearing gloves is meaningless.

How to take off and put on gloves

Wearing gloves is by no means free from washing your hands, as microorganisms that have accumulated on the surface can get on your skin when you remove your protective equipment.

Therefore, handle your hands immediately after removing gloves. It doesn't matter if you come home or change your disposable protection after 2 hours. In addition, gloves should be removed correctly to reduce the risk of skin exposure to the virus.

• Grasp the glove with your fingers at wrist level without touching bare skin.
• Pull the glove off your hand so that it is turned inside out. Do not put down the removed glove - continue to hold it in your fingers.
• Bring your bare fingers under the glove still worn, grab it from the inside at wrist level and pull it off, turning it inside out.
• Pull the removable glove over the top of the glove that you continue to hold in your fingers.
• Throw the bundle of two gloves into the trash can.
• Wash your hands thoroughly.

Also remember that gloves will not protect you from the virus if you neglect basic safety precautions. Therefore, wearing them does not negate the disinfection of the smartphone and other items that you touched while in public places.

Another thing is that gloves once again remind you of the ban on touching your face or food with dirty hands. Use them in this way, and then the risk of infection will really decrease.

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