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My 2 Cents: It's not someone else's job to throw away your dirty gloves and masks

Four 2 Five's Maddie Gardner shares her disgust at seeing used personal protective equipment left out for others to pick up.

It is time for ‘My 2 Cents.’

I’ve never understood why people litter. Like what makes a person think it’s fine to roll down a car window and toss their trash out? You do know somebody has to come pick that up, right?

So you can imagine my frustration now that I’m seeing people leave their used gloves and masks on the ground once they’re done with them.

Why, people?! Why?

Now that you know this about me, you might understand how I felt this morning when I went down to my mailbox and saw a pair of used gloves just sitting out like it’s somebody else’s responsibility to pick them up.

NASTY! 

Do I think it’s okay for you to wear gloves and masks? Absolutely! I encourage you to follow CDC guidelines and protect yourself and others. But leaving them in parking lots, on the side of the road, in grocery carts, that’s worse than normal littering. Think about it, the reason you put those gloves on is to protect yourself and your family and when you leave them in a parking lot, you’re basically saying you don’t care if the person who has to pick them up gets the germs you’re trying to avoid.

Experts say the virus could be on used gloves for days and that is why you need to throw them away the right away. We turn now to my friend Leighanne McGill – also a physician’s assistant – to show us how it’s done.

"Grasp one side of the glove at your wrist and pull away from your body. Ball this glove up in your other hand. Without touching the top of the other glove, slide two fingers underneath tht second glove pulling it away from your body inside out. Ball up the gloves and throw them away."

Did you read that last part? THROW THEM AWAY.

Okay, I’m done. Have a good day and throw your nasty gloves away. That’s my 2 Cents.

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