In the final steps of cleanup, remove your gloves first to make it easier to remove your other PPE.

In the final steps of cleanup, remove your gloves first to make it easier to remove your other PPE.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Depends on the PPE
• D. Not recommended

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to minimize self-contamination when you take off protective gear. Gloves are the most likely to be contaminated, and you want to keep a barrier between those contaminants and your skin while you remove the rest of your PPE. If you take the gloves off first, your bare hands could come into contact with contaminated surfaces on other PPE as you remove it, increasing the chance you’ll transfer contaminants to your face or skin. Therefore, a safer doffing approach is to remove the other protective items first (for example, eye/face protection and respirator, then gown), and only then remove the gloves, followed by hand hygiene. This sequence helps ensure contaminants are kept away from skin during the removal process.

The main idea is to minimize self-contamination when you take off protective gear. Gloves are the most likely to be contaminated, and you want to keep a barrier between those contaminants and your skin while you remove the rest of your PPE. If you take the gloves off first, your bare hands could come into contact with contaminated surfaces on other PPE as you remove it, increasing the chance you’ll transfer contaminants to your face or skin. Therefore, a safer doffing approach is to remove the other protective items first (for example, eye/face protection and respirator, then gown), and only then remove the gloves, followed by hand hygiene. This sequence helps ensure contaminants are kept away from skin during the removal process.