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A recent study suggesting that the coronavirus could potentially spread through aerosol droplets rising from a toilet flush has led some to fear using public restrooms. Pictured: A Department of Public Works worker washes the floor of the public women's room at Mayflower Beach, and also disinfects it with cleaner as he helps to get the the restrooms open for the season in Dennis, MA on May 13, 2020.
lessPhoto: Boston Globe/Boston Globe Via Getty ImagesA recent study suggesting that the coronavirus could potentially spread through aerosol droplets rising from a toilet flush has led some to fear using public restrooms. Pictured: A Department of Public Works
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A recent study suggesting that the coronavirus could potentially spread through aerosol droplets rising from a toilet flush has led some to fear using public restrooms. Pictured: A Department of Public Works worker washes the floor of the public women's room at Mayflower Beach, and also disinfects it with cleaner as he helps to get the the restrooms open for the season in Dennis, MA on May 13, 2020.
lessA recent study suggesting that the coronavirus could potentially spread through aerosol droplets rising from a toilet flush has led some to fear using public restrooms. Pictured: A Department of Public Works
... moreA few weeks ago, a new study led to some alarming headlines (see “Flushing the Toilet May Fling Coronavirus Aerosols All Over”) about the potential of coronavirus to spread in public toilets. The research, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, found that flushing a toilet can produce a cloud of possibly infectious aerosol droplets that rises nearly three feet. Yikes.
A coronavirus toilet plume seems like a pretty good reason to avoid public restrooms at all costs. But as people start venturing out into the world now that many restaurants and other businesses are open, they’re finding themselves with no choice but to occasionally use one. So how risky is it really?
“To start with, that study doesn’t measure coronavirus — it didn’t measure any virus at all. It looked at droplets with cameras,” said UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford. “The second thing is that while we can recover pieces of coronavirus on our stool [...] there haven’t been any cases of transmission through stool out of 10 million cases in the world.”
Rutherford says that there is still a risk associated with public restrooms — but it doesn’t come from flushing.
“There’s a risk and it’s all about density,” he explained. “If there’s a big long line and everyone’s standing around talking, yes that’s a risk. You need to avoid those sorts of situations.”
John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert at UC Berkeley, also clarified that the study does not directly examine the dispersion of virus — but says that theoretically, it is possible coronavirus could spread in this way.
After all, the fecal-oral route has led to the spread of other coronaviruses in the past. In 2003, over 300 people living in an apartment complex in Hong Kong became infected with SARS due to fecal aerosols spread through defective plumbing.
“To resolve the problem, just put the toilet seat down,” said Swartzberg.
However, many public restrooms don’t have lids. If we’re still trying to be cautious about the theoretical danger, how can we best protect ourselves?
Well, for one, try to only use single-use restrooms if possible, said Swartzberg. And if you have to use one with multiple stalls, do your best to social distance from others — pick a stall or two apart if you can. Some public restrooms have even started taping off sinks and urinals too close to each other to enforce this.
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“If you have a choice between a large and small bathroom, go with large — there’s more air dispersal,” added Swartzberg. In addition, open a window or turn on a fan if there is one to get the air moving any way you can.
Also know that there is no known risk associated with the coronavirus spreading through urine — so if you’re using a urinal, you’re all good. And if you can somehow ascertain whether the person before you has defecated, maybe wait a few minutes before using the restroom after them. Don’t linger, either — the less time you spend in a restroom, the lower the risk.
Of course, there’s also the risk of coronavirus transmission from the things we touch in public bathrooms. But that’s a little easier to protect yourself from.
“The virus can live on objects from three hours to three days depending on the type of object, so just anything you touch, be sure you wash your hands well,” said Swartzberg. “Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the bathroom door, and soap and water works better than hand sanitizer.”
That said, following these safety measures can be a bit more challenging with young children who can’t resist touching everything. In a New York Times guide to navigating public restrooms with kids, a pediatrician advises parents to do all the touching of surfaces for their children (with a barrier on their hand), and to make sure kids join them in washing hands thoroughly. They can also wipe down door handles and toilet seats with disinfectant wipes to be extra careful.
Adults and kids alike should wear masks in public restrooms, too. It will protect you a moderate amount, and those around you a significant amount.
“We have to be cognizant of the fact that this is a respiratory virus, so the best way to prevent it is to wear a mask,” said Rutherford.
Overall, both experts agreed that while people should still take precautions (try to relieve yourself before you leave your house so you can avoid using public restrooms altogether if possible), contracting the virus from terrifying toilet flush plumes probably isn’t the biggest of our worries.
“If you’re doing these [precautions], it really minimizes the risk, so it’s not a dangerous enterprise,” said Swartzberg. “We’re taking risks no matter what we do, but I don’t think this is a major means of transmission of this virus.”
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Madeline Wells is an SFGATE reporter. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22
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