• People are taking extra precautions when they leave the house to stop the spread of the coronavirus, wearing masks and sporting latex gloves.
  • But latex gloves can actually spread germs faster, according to an NHS doctor.
  • Dr. Karan Raj made a Tik Tok detailing why it isn’t recommended to wear latex gloves to prevent the spread of germs for his 85,000 followers.
  • “Just wash your hands, be sensible, stay safe,” Raj said.
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The safest way to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus is to stay home and avoid contact with people and things, the World Health Organization re-emphasized on Monday.

But since the US has recommended all people wear masks, suggesting it could limit the virus’ spread, and people in other countries have done the same, many people are taking extra precautions.

Masks aside, many are also wearing latex gloves when they leave the house in an attempt to protect themselves from viral particles, which can linger on surfaces.

However, that’s an incredibly flawed tactic, an NHS doctor has warned.

Dr. Karan Raj made a Tik Tok for his 85,000 followers, detailing why wearing latex globes could actually spread more germs, and that false sense of security could increase your risk of being exposed to the virus.

@dr.karanr

Spread knowledge not the virus! ##staysafe##socialdistancing##quarantine ##ppe ##doctorsoftiktok##edutokhealth##gloves

loriginal sound - dr.karanr

In the video, Raj puts on a latex glove and explains how germs accumulate on it throughout the day by marking it with a pen. Because latex gloves are intended to prevent cross-contamination, they are not intended to be worn when handling multiple items and surfaces.

If you go to the grocery store and you handle fruit that has germs and touching boxes of cereal and then cans of beans, you are carrying the germs of from item with you on your gloves and spreading them to other surfaces.

"You're accumulating germs. Your glove is now more full of germs than your hand would have been if you washed each time," Raj said.

If you then leave the supermarket and touch doors, railings, or your phone, you can also spread all of the germs that have accumulated on your gloves to those surfaces and possibly to other people on yourself.

Raj explains you can also risk exposing yourself to all of the collected germs when you take off the latex gloves with bare hands.

Instead, it is better to wash your hands as much as possible after handling surfaces and avoid touching your face.

"Just wash your hands, be sensible, stay safe," Raj said.