New information is constantly coming out about coronavirus, that’s quickly spreading across the globe. For example, first, we weren’t supposed to wear masks unless necessary, and now the mandate is that everyone should be wearing a mask when in public.

Gloves are another controversial item. While we once thought that wearing gloves in public spaces, like grocery stores, was a reliable way to protect us from getting the virus, that may not always be the case.

One Michigan nurse named Molly Lixey recently made a quick video demonstrating why gloves might not necessarily be the best thing to protect us from getting the virus.

In the video, she talks about cross-contamination and how wearing gloves can actually make things worse in some cases. She uses paint to get her point across about how germs spread with just the touch of a finger.

So, picture this scene: You head to the supermarket with your trusty gloves with the thought that your gloves can protect germs from getting on your hands. And while that’s true, Molly explains that germs can still be getting on your gloves—and then if you touch other things with those contaminated gloves, you’re now contaminating whatever it was you touched.

For example, say you reach for some toilet paper, but someone who was already contaminated had previously touched it. Now you’ve contaminated your gloves.

If you dispose of your gloves at this point and don’t touch anything else, then you’ll probably be okay. But chances are, you’re going to continue to roam about the aisles unknowingly contaminating different items.

Additionally, you could very likely end up bringing it home with you. For example, if you answer a text message after you touched the contaminated toilet paper, you’ve now placed those germs on your phone. And it’s even worse if you pick up a call—those germs are swirling around your face now!

Lixey explains all of this by using paint, and how easily paint can get on your hands or belongings once you touch it. The same goes for germs, she says.

So, what’s the deal? Should we not be wearing gloves at all? Lixey says no.

“There’s no point in wearing gloves if you’re not going to wash your hands every time you touch something,” she explains.

The best thing to do to avoid cross-contamination is to simply not touch dirty items and then your body. “Don’t touch your face. Don’t touch your dirty phone,” Lixey says.

Check out her informative video here on how quickly germs can spread via cross-contamination. Or, if you’d like a quick recap, check out the video below.

Do you wear gloves at the grocery store? What other ways do you try to prevent the spread of germs?