Virology & Disease Protection
Comprehensive protection against viruses, fungi and bacteria
For healthcare professionals, medical gloves are an important device to protect themselves and their patients against viruses, fungi, bacteria as well as other potentially harmful substances. Today, more than ever, it is important to choose a glove that can properly protect both, you and your patients.
Protection from COVID-19
All Sempermed® surgical gloves as well as all Sempercare® and Semperguard® gloves meet the requirements imposed by the standard ASTM F1671 for being virus-proof. This means that when worn correctly, these gloves protect you from COVID-19 as well as from hepatitis, HIV, SARS and MERS.
Our gloves protect against viral penetration
When it comes to protection against viruses, it is good to know that Sempermed follows a stricter standard. For years, we have been testing and certifying our gloves, using the United States’ ASTM standard (ASTM F1671/F1671M-13) for microorganisms. Approved by the Federal Drug Administration for the testing of medical gloves, this tried and tested standard has been used for decades.
We have achieved that this stricter standard is accepted by our notified bodies for the EU and EC type certified examination, following the introduction of PPE regulation (EU) 2016/425. This means that we can continue to conduct viral penetration tests based on the stricter ASTM F1671/F1671M-13.
Both are globally recognised standards which may be used to test the resistance of materials used in protective clothing to penetration by blood-borne pathogens. As the two test procedures do not differ significantly, we believe it is best to follow the stricter test as our products always need to meet high standards. You can read our "Sempermed Informs" on this topic for a more detailed comparison.
Double gloving: Reduce the risk of nosocomial infections
Protect your patient and yourself by double donning gloves
Hospital-acquired infections, also known as nosocomial infections, are among the main causes of complications and death in hospitalised patients. Hands are a main source of transmission, as pathogens are transmitted either directly (e.g., hands) or indirectly (e.g., droplet infection).
Two important ways to prevent nosocomial infections are the strict compliance with hygiene standards and the focused and restrained application of antibiotics. In terms of hygiene – specifically hand hygiene – wearing medical gloves as protective barrier is crucial, as well as regular and thorough hand disinfection.
Medical gloves, if intact, are highly effective in disrupting the infection chain and providing mutual protection to medical staff and patients. However, during invasive procedures, particularly during surgical interventions, there may be a higher risk of glove perforations. The practice of double gloving, which means wearing two pairs of gloves on top of each other, can significantly reduce the risk of glove perforations and, therefore, nosocomial infections.
Sempermed® Supreme Duo, our specially developed double-gloving solution, provides added safety during surgical procedures while allowing to spot potential perforations right away. Find out here how this surgical glove can help to protect you at work.
If you want to learn more about how to protect patients from nosocomial infections read up on the topic in our "Sempermed Informs".
