Good Question: Why don’t all vaccine givers wear gloves?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC)— It’s happening more and more.

Large numbers of people are lining up to get the COVID vaccine, and if you’ve gone to get your shot, or have seen video of others already qualified, you may have noticed something that one viewer reached out to News10NBC’s Brennan Somers about to get answers.

"Why do some covid vaccinators wear gloves and others don’t? It’s like fast food employees wearing the same gloves for food and money."

Here’s the thing, the CDC follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommendations. In general, OSHA doesn’t require gloves to be worn when someone is giving a vaccine. The exception to that is if the person giving you a shot has open cuts on their hands, or they are likely to come into contact with the patient’s body fluids.

If that person does wear gloves, they need to be changed after each shot.

Obviously, there are plenty of other rules in place to keep everyone protected. The CDC points to using approved alcohol-based hand rubs or soap and water before getting vaccines ready to go in arms. Staff should also clean between each person in line.

——————

Watch previous Good Question segments here. If you have a question you’d like answered, email GoodQuestion@whec.com.