Coronavirus: NHS doctor shows how wearing gloves when you go out could spread germs

An NHS doctor has demonstrated how wearing gloves when you go out could result in you spreading germs, not stopping them.

Dr Karan Raj, a surgeon who has 85,000 followers on TikTok, shared a video on the platform explaining why it may not be advisable for people to wear gloves when they leave their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Raj begins the video by stating: “I’m going to explain why you don’t need to wear gloves when you go out,” gesturing towards a blue latex glove he has placed on his hand.

“You’ve got your gloves, you’re at the supermarket, you’re touching things,” he says.

The doctor then scribbles on the blue glove with a pen in order to show how germs can attach to the material.

“There you go, germs. You keep touching more things throughout the day with these same gloves. Germs, everywhere. You’re accumulating germs,” Dr Raj states.

“Your glove is now more full of germs than your hand would have been if you’d washed each time.”

The surgeon explains that you may then spread germs further by touching your steering wheel or face while wearing gloves.

“And then when you’re changing your gloves, you might be actually touching the glove itself,” he adds.

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

Dr Raj’s video currently has more than 367,000 views on TikTok.

The NHS says that items such as masks and gloves play a “very important” role in a clinical setting.

However, the organisation outlines that there is “little widespread evidence” that the items are useful for members of the public.

A spokesperson for Public Health England told The Independent that it is “not recommending the use of gloves as a protective measure against Covid-19 for the general public”.

“People concerned about the transmission of infectious diseases should prioritise good personal, respiratory and hand hygiene,” the organisation said, in addition to staying at home and practising social distancing.