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What makes shared restrooms different? For one thing, a bathroom is usually a small enclosed space that's not well ventilated, conditions which we know make it easier for the coronavirus to spread. Second, we're talking about bathrooms you share with people that you don't live with, which means you're being potentially exposed to new sources of COVID-19 thanks to shared surfaces that may or may not be sanitized regularly.
And, finally, there's the toilet plume, which is the term used to describe what happens after you flush: The force of the flushing causes tiny particles of everything in the toilet—pee, poop, whatever—to spray into the air, SELF explained previously. This is worrying because some diseases (such as norovirus and Claustridium difficile) are known to spread via fecal transmission, so having more of that matter in the air could make it more likely for those illnesses to spread. So far, research suggests that toilet plume could play a role in the transmission of these diseases, but that idea hasn't been conclusively proven.
Still, the idea of COVID-19 in a bathroom possibly spreading via toilet plume is definitely concerning. We do have research to suggest that particles of the coronavirus are present in feces and that, under the right circumstances, short-range airborne transmission of the virus is possible.
This was an urban myth that circled colleges way back when. I remember my RA telling us about this ... splash back.
Some people just embrace fear and literally can't function unless they are terrified of everything ... even toilets apparently.
I still want to know why people aren't clamoring for biohazard bins for all those contaminated face masks people use on a daily basis ... unless they are like 1 person I know who has used the same mask for 6 months ... it sits on the dashboard of his car ... really healthy
I still want to know why people aren't clamoring for biohazard bins for all those contaminated face masks people use on a daily basis ... unless they are like 1 person I know who has used the same mask for 6 months ... it sits on the dashboard of his car ... really healthy
Oh boy. Now you're living dangerously, taking a dump in public.
And this can be added to the reasons for not sitting in the way back of an airplane in the row across from toilets. Not only does it stink, mostly from the harsh chemical smell of the toilet fluid every time the door is opened, but now you can worry about coronavirus toilet plumes finding you!
YES, my Mom & I were talking about this just this past week & were always concerned about using public bathrooms during COVID because public bathrooms have extra germs & when you flush the toilets, microscopic droplets from the toilet spew all over. I think in all these last 5 mos, I've miraculously only had to use the public bathroom 2x, but fiance' has to use public bathrooms quite a bit when we're out there. Here are some other articles about public restrooms & COVID:
My whole life, I've always flushed the public toilets using my foot & I hope everyone else does that much too. I don't want to really take some tissue to touch & close a public toilet lid either. My Mom used to tell me to always flush 1st before using a public restroom as a way of cleaning out anything in the toilet, but you can't do that especially nowadays since that doubles your chances of germs flying.
The best thing to do is probably drop a little toilet tissue in the toilet before using it to prevent droplets from splashing back up on your body as a way to prevent that ripple effect. Then flush after your back's turned to get out of the bathroom stall FAST! That seems to be the best way to do it these days.
And of course keep your mask on then too. The bathroom's NOT the time to take your mask off & "take a breather".
Last edited by Forever Blue; 08-23-2020 at 11:32 AM..
Very true, not to mention aren't we carrying things a bit too far or are some people just so paranoid they can' even think clearly? I don't know, but this would be the last thing I would be concerned about when it comes to COVID or any other disease that can be spread.
As friend of ours said: the next pandemic to hit us will be fear and it looks from some of he comments here it has started.
What is the chance that someone who is positive for COVID goes into a public restroom, takes a poop, flushes, and then YOU go into the same exact stall after them, do your business and flush, and the water from the toilet leaps up onto your face through your face mask, and you somehow get inflected and then die?
What is the chance that someone who is positive for COVID goes into a public restroom, takes a poop, flushes, and then YOU go into the same exact stall after them, do your business and flush, and the water from the toilet leaps up onto your face through your face mask, and you somehow get inflected and then die?
Percent chance of this occurring, thanks.
It's very, very, very low, but it's not "zero," and unless it's zero, some people are going to worry about it.
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