While most of the states still impose stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19, that doesn't mean that many people with good intentions are unaware of exposing themselves to germs.
Former emergency room nurse in Saginaw, Michigan, Molly Lixey noticed that a lot of people wear gloves on her recent trip to the grocery store. At first, it was great but in the end, what she saw is all the cross-contamination happening in the area.
Moreover, on a Facebook video, the emergency room nurse decided to demonstrate how fast and easy it is to spread the germs or virus at a grocery store.
Using paint to explain coronavius cross-contamination
While doing the paint job around her house, Lixey shared that it popped out on her mind that it would be a perfect medium to use in explaining the cross-contamination process. It terrifies her that people believe that they are safe while using or wearing gloves. These people may not be aware that they are still harming themselves or others who might consume those cross-contaminated products.
With the pandemic continuously causing damages and killing people with weak immune systems, the virus causing it can spread through coughs and sneezes, but new research shows that it can possibly be transmitted while talking or even just by breathing which makes transferring from object to object much easier.
Running a simulation while going to the grocery store, Lixey started off by putting gloves on her hands. She grabbed her cellphone upon leaving her car, cleaned a shopping cart and grabbed a toilet paper. She used a piece of cardboard as her cellphone and dipped her fingers in a plate of paint to symbolize the germs on her hands as a result of grabbing a toilet paper.
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In her video, she pointed out that the germs on her gloves are fine because it is only on her gloves but she continued the simulation as her phone rings, she reached her phone and received a text message from her husband.
As she continues to pretend that she's walking at the grocery store, she imitated picking up new items to put in her cart, she dipped her fingers back to the paint to mimic the germs she had picked up throughout this process.
Gloves are useless if people won't wash their hands
Since she had extensive training in its usage, she have a good understanding about the proper procedure in using PPE. However, she is worried about the general people that have not. And because they are fearful right now, understandably, they will do anything to protect themselves. But they must do it properly.
After picking up a simulated phone call, the paint symbolizing the germs winds up on her cheek showing how the germs traveled to her face. When she took off her gloves, she touched her phone and ended up in cross-contamination.
Lixey emphasized on her video that there is no point in wearing gloves for protection if you are not going to wash your hands every time you touch something. Even when using gloves, whatever item that you touch while using it can be a source of germs unless you will disinfect it before contact.