There is a misconception going around that common face masks in use by the public during the pandemic are intended to protect the wearer. They do somewhat, but are primarily intended to protect the neighbor and the public from the wearer’s coughing, sneezing and just plain breathing. The carriage of all is considerably inhibited by a mask.

Mere social distancing six feet is really not enough because a sneeze or cough can travel more than that, even if the bulk is directed into the elbow; and how can one really keep even six feet of distance in a supermarket to prevent even breathing from reaching other people?

The mask also serves as a reminder to not touch the face, which a person might do a thousand times a day, eyes nose and mouth being the main gates of infection. Itches will go away, and face washing after hand washing before donning protection can do a lot to prevent them. A common mask can act somewhat as barrier to face touching, but pathogens from hands or gloves can be breathed in through it, so best do not touch the mask. When all wear masks, all are protected.

Barrier gloves on the other hand, protect the wearer, especially when worn in conjunction with a mask. They prevent pathogens from collecting on the hands, then being transferred to the face when there is no mask. That could lead to infection which makes the person a danger to others, requiring a better mask. And whatever the infection, one leads to another because contagious diseases love sick people.

Barrier gloves can be washed as hands on the hands and are more easily cleaned than hands. Therefore they should not be removed during a period of public encounter, except maybe for meals with clean hands. Care must be taken not to touch the exterior of the glove before rewear, or to clean outside with soap and water or disinfectant or sanitizer. I wear kitchen gloves, far less porous than medical gloves. Far more durable too, they allow better continuous use, daily reuse, and cleaning. A size small, they fit as skin, serving well on keyboards and even touch screens.

Eye protection also protects the wearer to the extent that it covers the eyes. Side shields can assist protection for wearers of eye glasses.