Chief infectious disease specialist of Russia called wearing gloves ineffective measure

Wearing gloves is becoming an ineffective measure to combat the coronavirus spread, as many people misuse them. Therefore, it is best to use antiseptics, Vladimir Chulanov, the Russian Ministry of Health's chief infectious disease specialist, a professor at Sechenov University, told Interfax.

As the expert explained, the main route of the virus transmission (90%) is airborne, and only 10% is the contact route when a person touches the surface where the virus remains with their hands, and then we touch the eyes and mouth.

"This 10% do not play a significant role. From my point of view, a more effective way to combat the contact transmission of the virus is to treat hands with skin antiseptics when entering and exiting public transport, says Chulanov. “If everyone sanitized their hands when entering and exiting transport, no gloves would be needed. That would be quite enough, and maybe even more effective than gloves, because they must be properly removed, disposed of, and not everyone knows how to do it".

At the same time, Chulanov noted that wearing masks is "very important, everyone, without exception, must do this, and treat our hands with an antiseptic - then we can contain the epidemic situation."