“I’ve been wearing them since the start of this year,” the 66-year-old said as she used a gloved hand to pick up a bottle of sauce from the supermarket shelf on Wednesday. “I like to touch things, but I couldn’t buy any disinfectant, so I’ve started wearing them. I’ve been telling my family and friends to do so as well.”

She is not alone. Some Hong Kong shoppers have turned to gloves for protection, as hand sanitiser continues to be in short supply despite stores limiting purchases.

Unfortunately, while global manufacturers are ramping up production, gloves are quickly joining the city’s growing list of hard-to-find items.

Disposable gloves were sold out on the popular online shopping channel, HKTV Mall, which recently raised the minimum purchase required for free delivery in a bid to cope with growing orders.

ParknShop’s online store was also sold out, with a number of their physical locations stocking only rubber gloves for household use. Even kitchen gloves like those are going fast, according to employees at a store the Post visited in Kowloon Bay’s Amoy Plaza.

Staff at a pharmacy in Sai Ying Pun, meanwhile, said they were still waiting on resupply after their stock of disposable gloves sold out before the Lunar New Year holiday, with many customers buying two boxes in one go.

Housewife Mrs Tsang, 50, said she had been wearing plastic gloves to minimise the number of times she had to wash her hands – something the medical community was recommending all Hongkongers do frequently, as she believed it was bad for her eczema.

“I couldn’t wet my hands all the time, so I started wearing gloves, but they turned out to be so difficult to find,” she said. “I plan to wear these until they tear.”

Student J. Ho, 22, said he started taking the extra step of wearing surgical gloves last week, using a gloved hand to touch “dirty things” while saving the ungloved hand for tasks like eating.

“I believe gloves are more effective than hand sanitisers,” Ho explained. “It’s an added layer of protection.”

One shopper, who refused to be named, said she wore gloves on the streets to avoid infection when she rubbed her eyes. “It’s a way to protect myself,” she said.

But while the World Health Organisation has recommended gloves for health care workers, just how useful are they for the ordinary public?

Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, an infectious disease specialist, said gloves can be useful for some, as they help minimise contact with dirt and contaminated surfaces.

“It absolutely helps those who spend a long time outdoors or travel on public transport,” Tsang said. “Some people also worry that germs might be trapped between fingers or on their fingertips when their hands are not properly washed, and decide to wear gloves.”

But he also stressed that wearing gloves cannot replace washing hands and that common-sense precautions should be taken when wearing them.

Wearers are advised not to use their gloved hands to touch their face masks or personal belongings such as wallets and phones.

They should also be disposed of immediately after use, or washed if they are non-disposable, according to Tsang, who stressed that, even for glove wearers, soap and water remains mandatory.

“You must wash your hands every time after removing your gloves,” he said.