Posted on 04/03/2020 8:18:44 AM PDT by Red Badger
Topline: While scientists have warned that COVID-19 can be spread by fecal-oral transmission (hence the importance of post-bathroom hand washing) the disease can also be spread through what is known as "aerosolized feces" which means that it's more important than ever to close the lid of the toilet while flushing, according to experts.
Because of a phenomenon known as toilet plume, stool or urine can escape from the toilet into the air and spread disease, according to the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology.
Qingyan Chen, Purdue’s James. G. Dwyer Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, told Forbes there’s one “very easy way to help prevent the spread of coronavirus: “Close the lid and then flush.”
80% of particles that escape from fecal matter into the air can be prevented by closing the lid when flushing, Chen told Forbes.
To avoid getting COVID-19 when using a public bathroom you should wash your hands, then flush (using gloves or paper towel to avoid contact with the handle) to minimize contamination period—and wait one to two minutes to use a public bathroom after someone has finished, says Chen.
The danger of fecal-oral transmission is higher for symptomatic people, so if you share a bathroom with a COVID-19 positive individual, disinfect the entire washroom with alcohol or ultraviolet light between uses, Chen also advises.
A study from the City University of Hong Kong found that: “A toilet flush can release up to 80,000 polluted droplets and leave them suspended a metre in the air for hours if the lid is left up,” according to the South China Morning Post.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
In a public restroom i use my foot to handle in order to flush the toilet.
And i step back as far as possible or even turn around.
Even before this virus non-sense.
me too!......................
Good point. I was thinking of home toilets.
How much more silly is this thing going to get????
Pretty soon there will be a “new study” that shows splashing from guys peeing standing up will spread the virus. I leave it to you to predict the policy recommendation that will follow.
One thing’s for sure. There’s always an “expert” to tell you what to do and how to live your life ... down to the tiniest detail. You don’t even have to ask ... they just give it to you! Cheers!
Sometimes the plumes are bigger....especially after chili.
A cell is about the last place I want to be stuck in these days:
Took me a week to train hubby. Can’t believe his mom, Mrs. Clean, let him get away with that.
I have yet to see a toilet seat lid with an air-tight seal...
Plus i never ever sit on a toilet seat even with those paper lid covers.
I put one in the toilet, before i go, to lessen splash back.
Mythbusters did a segment on this. It will make you a believer.
Yeah, I was thinking just of home toilets. My mistake.
last trip Upstate NY one of the rest area bathrooms had a ‘manual flush’ stall - and I kinda wondered why this would be offered.
Have to make use of the flush-it-yourself option next time. some of the stalls are SO small that the autoflush starts before you’re out of there.
“While scientists have warned that COVID-19 can be spread by fecal-oral transmission ...”
Ouch...that’s going to cramp democrats lifestyle.
Well, this is one of the few things I have been able to convince the husband to do.
My fault for only thinking of home toilets.
were at 7 billion now in the world and most of the world has poor bathroom habits, if they have a bathroom at all, and yet the world keeps turning.
Probably one on the ISS..................I hope................
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