The FDA describes medical gloves as examples of personal protective equipment (PPE) that are used to protect the wearer and/or patients from the spread of viruses or diseases during medical procedures, care and treatment, or examinations. Medical gloves are a part of an infection-control methodology.
As one of the leading bulk PPE suppliers in the USA, Co-Defend brings a great selection of the best quality medical gloves from trusted PPE suppliers in Medical Industry. From medical-grade gloves and sterile latex examination gloves to disposable surgical gloves, we offer various types of gloves under one roof.
Can Medical Gloves Protect Healthcare Workers against Coronavirus?
As many nations faced acute shortages of essential PPE gear such as N95 respirators, face masks, gloves, gowns, etc., this led to the emergence of many personal protective equipment manufacturers worldwide. However, some of the manufacturers and suppliers claim that their products provide complete protection against coronavirus and sell them at higher price tags.
One must remember that wearing face masks, gowns, or gloves can give a false sense of security. These items are just to contain the spread of the infection and do not guarantee complete protection against COVID-19.
In its guidance for wearing and removing PPE in healthcare settings for the care and treatment of COVID+ or suspected patients, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has advised that gloves should be used when dealing with suspected or COVID+ patients.
The FDA has not qualified, approved, or authorized any medical gloves for complete protection against COVID-19 or prevention of COVID-19 infection. However, in its factsheet on PPE, the CDC explains that non-sterile disposable patient examination gloves that are used for routine patient care in healthcare settings are appropriate for providing care to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients.
As per the CDC Guidance, extended length gloves are not necessary for the care of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. These can be used, but the CDC doesn’t specifically recommend using them all this time. Furthermore, the CDC adds that the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has created standards for patient examination gloves that include glove length requirements, which should be 220-230mm, depending on glove size and material type.
Can You Sanitize Medical Disposable Gloves?
According to the WHO, gloves should be worn when providing direct care and treatment for a COVID-19+ case and then disposed off immediately followed by hand hygiene between COVID-19 patients. Using the same pair of gloves for a cohort of COVID-19 cases must not be done in any case.
Changing gloves between dirty and clean tasks when providing care and treatment and when moving from a patient to another, and practicing hand hygiene is mandatory for healthcare workers. Double gloving is not a good practice except during surgical procedures that carry a high risk of rupture.
Above all, healthcare facilities should purchase medical gloves from trusted and reliable personal protective equipment manufacturers or suppliers in the Medical Industry to ensure that they get only high-quality gloves or any other category of PPE.
Can Medical Gloves Protect the General Public Against Coronavirus?
When not coming in direct contact with the COVID-19 patients while providing care and treatment, the WHO strongly advises that washing hands with soap or handwash provides more protection against coronavirus than wearing rubber gloves. It further explains that the virus can still be picked up on gloves and that this can be transferred to one’s face.
Is It a Good Practice to Wear Gloves While Going for Grocery Shopping?
An infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic, Patricia Dandache, MD, advises people to go grocery shopping without wearing gloves and face masks. However, this measure completely depends on your region where you live. Some measures introduced in Dubai amid the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, require the citizens to wear gloves and face masks at all times when going in the public setting for essentials.
Why Countries are Facing Medical Glove Shortages?
Major bulk PPE suppliers in the USA have reported dire shortages of essential PPE gear including gloves. As per the WHO’s interim guidance, the main causes for the increased global demand for PPE are not only the growing number of coronavirus cases but also because of misinformation, panic buying, and stockpiling.
What Measures Are Being Taken to Overcome Medical Glove Shortages?
Malaysia’s Top Glove, one of the leading manufacturers of gloves across the globe, anticipates global demand for gloves to double in the year 2020. The usage rate of gloves has increased to up to 100 percent, while its lead time has increased from 30 days to 150 days.
In the current scenario, Chinese factories are increasing glove production capacities to meet the demand spikes for essential PPE apparel.
The FDA has developed a set of medical glove conservation strategies for healthcare workers aimed at augmenting, instead of replacing specific controls and procedures developed by health authorities.
- Conventional Capacity Strategies if the medical supply levels are adequate for patient care without any change in routine practice.
- Contingency Capacity Strategies in case the limited medical supply levels may change patient care and treatment. However, it may not have a significant impact on patient care and health care provider safety.
- Crisis or Alternate Strategies if medical gloves are running low or not available. These strategies may need to be considered if medical glove supplies are critically low and demand is high.
Final Thought
According to the CDC, people providing care and treatment to suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients should wear disposable gloves when cleaning surfaces, doing laundry for a sick person, washing utensils, or coming in close contact with the patient. In addition to wearing gloves, one should also perform hand hygiene (handwashing with soap) after handling an infected person’s clothing or dishes. Above all, healthcare professionals must be trained on the proper usage, removal, and disposal of medical gloves to reduce their shortage in healthcare systems.
Being one of the leading bulk PPE suppliers in the USA, Co-Defend cuts through medical supply chains with direct access to the most trusted PPE suppliers in Medical Industry. Our vast network connects you with trusted Personal Protective Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers in Asia to expedite bulk supplies of medical-grade PPE gear in the fight against COVID-19.