Abstract: A flexible plastic strip to cover a handle such as, for example, that common to a conventional shopping cart to prevent a shopper's hands from coming into direct contact with the handle. According to a preferred embodiment, a pair of strip holders are detachably connected in surrounding engagement to the handle. The strip holders are spaced from one another and slidable along the handle. Each of the pair of strip holders has a hook projecting therefrom. The ends of the flexible strip are attached to the pair of strip holders at respective ones of the hooks thereof. The flexible strip can be removed from the strip holders and discarded in order to avoid the spread of germs, viruses and other disease-causing micro-organisms which lie on the handle.

Abstract: A guard to prevent direct touch contact between an individual's hand and a handle or a contact surface of a door to which a pushing or pulling force is applied to cause the door to open. According to a first preferred embodiment, a hollow cylindrical core is moved into removable surrounding engagement with a door handle. A plurality of protective strips are laid one above the other in a roll that surrounds the core. According to another preferred embodiment, a plurality of protective strips or coverings are disposed one above the other in a stack that is attached over a pushing surface of the door. Successive ones of the plurality of strips and coverings can be removed from the roll or stack and discarded following use. One surface of each of the strips and coverings is treated with a layer which includes a mixture of adhesive and microbicide.

Abstract: A method for using a commercially-available silver-coated anti-microbial wound dressing (sold under the trademark Silverlon) as a protective guard to prevent direct touch-contact between the hand of an individual and a contact surface. The protective guard establishes a barrier to prevent the spread of germs and potentially disease-causing bacteria from the contact surface to the individual's hand. The protective guard can be carried in the individual's hand and simply moved against the contact surface. Alternatively, the protective guard an be attached to, bent around or folded over the contact surface to prevent direct touch-contact therewith.

Abstract: A guard to prevent direct touch contact between an individual's hand and a handle or a contact surface of a door to which a pushing or pulling force is applied to cause the door to open. According to a first preferred embodiment, a hollow cylindrical core is moved into removable surrounding engagement with a door handle. A plurality of protective strips are laid one above the other in a roll that surrounds the core. According to another preferred embodiment, a plurality of protective strips or coverings are disposed one above the other in a stack that is attached over a pushing surface of the door. Successive ones of the plurality of strips and coverings can be removed from the roll or stack and discarded following use. One surface of each of the strips and coverings is treated with a layer which includes a mixture of adhesive and microbicide.

Abstract: A flexible plastic strip to cover a handle such as, for example, that common to a conventional shopping cart to prevent a shopper's hands from coming into direct contact with the handle. According to a preferred embodiment, a pair of strip holders are detachably connected in surrounding engagement to the handle. The strip holders are spaced from one another and slidable along the handle. Each of the pair of strip holders has a hook projecting therefrom. The ends of the flexible strip are attached to the pair of strip holders at respective ones of the hooks thereof. The flexible strip can be removed from the strip holders and discarded in order to avoid the spread of germs, viruses and other disease-causing micro-organisms which lie on the handle.