WATCH: NHS doctor shows how wearing gloves isn’t so safe after all

In a video shared across social media, Dr Karan Raj explains why you don’t need to wear gloves when you go out

Dr Karan Raj, an NHS surgeon and clinical lecturer at the University of Sunderland, has warned that wearing gloves isn’t as safe as you might think.

In a video shared with more than 86,000 social media followers, he explained how wearing gloves can actually increase the spread of germs, rather than slow it down. It is much safer to regularly wash your hands, he advised.

‘Germs everywhere’

Wearing a pair of standard blue latex gloves, Dr Raj said, “I’m going to explain why you don’t need to wear gloves when you go out.

“You’ve got your gloves, you’re at the supermarket, you’re touching things,” he says, using a black marker to illustrate where germs would stick to the material. “There you go: germs,” he says.

“You keep touching more things throughout the day with these same gloves,” he continues. “Germs, everywhere. You’re accumulating germs. Your glove is now more full of germs than your hand would have been if you’d washed each time.

“With these same gloves, you’re touching your steering wheel, you might accidentally touch your face and transfer the germs to yourself.

“Just wash your hands, be sensible, stay safe,” he said.

@dr.karanrSpread knowledge not the virus! ##staysafe ##socialdistancing ##quarantine ##ppe ##doctorsoftiktok ##edutokhealth ##gloves? original sound – dr.karanr

For information and advice on how to protect yourself from Covid-19, visit hse.ie/coronavirus. 

Feature photo: Dr Karan Raj, TikTok

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