( remember when we were told the general public should not wear masks.... )
The glove situation is obvious, and has been obvious from the start. Picture getting paint on your hands - everything you touch with your hands will get paint on it. Now put gloves on and get paint on the gloves - same scenario. Main point - don't touch your face and make sure you wash your hands well and regularly. Leave the gloves at home, unless you are meticulous on how you use them, remove them, and dispose of them.
I don't understand the confusion about face masks, but I continually hear this - remember when.... etc.
As I understand it, there was a brief period when they said masks weren't necessary from the viewpoint of them providing personal protection. This was due to the fact that most masks do not seal the mouth and nose area and thus do not provide protection to the individual wearing them.
However, it was since determined that wearing a mask that covers your mouth and nose will prevent you from spreading the virus to other people, and therefore if everybody wears a mask you will not pass on your virus to others. It's an unselfish thing to do, to wear a mask to protect others, but if followed by all, or a high percentage, of the population, it should severely cut down on virus transmission.
But, there are those who think that wearing a mask is somehow a violation of their rights, and thus choose to (and appear to be proud of) not wear a mask. So they are basically saying it's against their personal rights to ask them to provide protection for their fellow citizens. Seems kind of selfish, but that's what it is.
