It’s time to bury vinyl gloves as a COVID-era safety accessory. People still argue about wearing a mask until they’re blue in the face, but vinyl gloves are out.

What a difference from March, when parking lots at local supermarkets and big-box retailers were littered with vinyl gloves discarded by shoppers who craved their security in the store but treated them like hazardous waste by the time they reached their car. (Feeling nostalgic? Here’s how to safely remove vinyl gloves.)

At the time, touching packaging, fresh produce or hard surfaces was considered a COVID-19 risk. Those concerns have diminished greatly. And so have the number of shoppers wearing vinyl gloves. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says wearing gloves in public when running an errand or other situations is unnecessary. A gloved hand that touches a contaminated surface and then touches your face can still transmit COVID-19.

In fact, CDC guidance for glove-wearers sounds almost pre-COVID: Wear vinyl gloves when cleaning or caring for someone who is sick. That’s it.

From the CDC:

Caring for Someone Who is Sick

  • Use disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting the area around the person who is sick or other frequently touched surfaces in the home.
  • Use disposable gloves when touching or having contact with blood, stool, or body fluids, such as saliva, mucus, vomit and urine.
  • After using disposable gloves, throw them out in a lined trash can. Do not disinfect or reuse the gloves.
  • Wash your hands after removing the gloves.

Cleaning and Disinfecting in Your Home

  • Gloves can be reusable or disposable.
  • Make sure the area is well-ventilated. Open a window or turn on a fan.
  • Wash your hands after removing the gloves.

When running an errand, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, then wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds when you get home.

Not feeling well? Call your healthcare provider for guidance and try to avoid going directly to an emergency department or urgent care center, as this could increase the chances of the disease spreading.

Click here to schedule a virtual visit with a Hartford HealthCare-GoHealth Urgent Care provider.

Stay with Hartford HealthCare for everything you need to know about the coronavirus threat. Click here for information updated daily.

Questions? Call our 24-hour hotline (860.972.8100 or, toll-free, 833.621.0600). 

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