4 ms·

Gloves don't really do much good when it comes to coronavirus. Even if they are completely sterile when first putting them on, the problem is that you can pick

Gloves don't really do much good when it comes to coronavirus. Even if they are completely sterile when first putting them on, the problem is that you can pick up the virus on the gloves. You still have to be careful not to touch your face or eyes. Every health organization I've seen recommendations from says hand washing is the best thing you can do to prevent spreading or acquiring the virus via touch.

SQueeeeeL 7y ago
Fair point, then they should be mandating hand washing. Still doesn't stop someone from coughing on your grandma's shipment of cat food...
- _ph_ 7y ago
  Shouldn't the virus be dead by the time the package gets delivered?
  - SQueeeeeL 7y ago
    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192755.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192755.h... I actually thought viruses lived forever, but I was wrong. The paper linked in this article says 1 day on cardboard, 3 days on plastic.
    - ardy42 7y ago
      > I actually thought viruses lived forever, but I was wrong. The paper linked in this article says 1 day on cardboard, 3 days on plastic. I think it's more complicated than that. There are viruses that are enveloped in a membrane, and ones that are not. Unenveloped viruses can survive much longer on surfaces. IIRC, Covid-19 is an enveloped virus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462923/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462923/: > Non-enveloped viruses, such as coxsackieviruses, rotavirus, or poliovirus, can survive for extended periods on surfaces (9, 10), while enveloped viruses, including H1N1 and human coronaviruses, remain infectious on surfaces after several days (6). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564025/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564025/: > Most viruses from the respiratory tract, such as corona, coxsackie, influenza, SARS or rhino virus, can persist on surfaces for a few days. Viruses from the gastrointestinal tract, such as astrovirus, HAV, polio- or rota virus, persist for approximately 2 months. Blood-borne viruses, such as HBV or HIV, can persist for more than one week. Herpes viruses, such as CMV or HSV type 1 and 2, have been shown to persist from only a few hours up to 7 days.
OJFord 7y ago
It's easier not to touch your face if you see a glove when you raise your hand, it's a visual cue to stop.
nogabebop23 7y ago
I haven't seen anyone out in public wearing gloves who comes close to observing the required protocol: touching their personal possessions, using their phones or my favorite, the guy who had pulled up his mask onto his forehead so he could have a smoke, while still wearing his gloves. I would also imagine gloves are a better transmission medium for the virus as well... I then go to my car and see used plastic gloves thrown all over the parking lot. It made me so mad. I just want to yell out "Be Better, People!".

SQueeeeeL 7y ago

Fair point, then they should be mandating hand washing. Still doesn't stop someone from coughing on your grandma's shipment of cat food...

_ph_ 7y ago
Shouldn't the virus be dead by the time the package gets delivered?
- SQueeeeeL 7y ago
  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192755.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200320192755.h... I actually thought viruses lived forever, but I was wrong. The paper linked in this article says 1 day on cardboard, 3 days on plastic.
  - ardy42 7y ago
    > I actually thought viruses lived forever, but I was wrong. The paper linked in this article says 1 day on cardboard, 3 days on plastic. I think it's more complicated than that. There are viruses that are enveloped in a membrane, and ones that are not. Unenveloped viruses can survive much longer on surfaces. IIRC, Covid-19 is an enveloped virus. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462923/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462923/: > Non-enveloped viruses, such as coxsackieviruses, rotavirus, or poliovirus, can survive for extended periods on surfaces (9, 10), while enveloped viruses, including H1N1 and human coronaviruses, remain infectious on surfaces after several days (6). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564025/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564025/: > Most viruses from the respiratory tract, such as corona, coxsackie, influenza, SARS or rhino virus, can persist on surfaces for a few days. Viruses from the gastrointestinal tract, such as astrovirus, HAV, polio- or rota virus, persist for approximately 2 months. Blood-borne viruses, such as HBV or HIV, can persist for more than one week. Herpes viruses, such as CMV or HSV type 1 and 2, have been shown to persist from only a few hours up to 7 days.

OJFord 7y ago

It's easier not to touch your face if you see a glove when you raise your hand, it's a visual cue to stop.

nogabebop23 7y ago

I haven't seen anyone out in public wearing gloves who comes close to observing the required protocol: touching their personal possessions, using their phones or my favorite, the guy who had pulled up his mask onto his forehead so he could have a smoke, while still wearing his gloves. I would also imagine gloves are a better transmission medium for the virus as well... I then go to my car and see used plastic gloves thrown all over the parking lot. It made me so mad. I just want to yell out "Be Better, People!".