Flushing the toilet allows bacteria to fly into the sky, doctors point out 3 major risks of using public toilets

After using the toilet, remember to close the toilet lid when flushing. Studies have shown that when the toilet flushes, an instantaneous cyclone is generated, allowing germs and microorganisms to fly in the air and form aerosol transmission, which can survive in the air for at least one and a half hours, and even contaminate the toilet paper on the side, increasing the risk of infection.

The chest and critical care physician Huang Xuan pointed out that aerosol transmission is one of the methods of spreading the new crown virus. https://www.shineful.com.tw/ma62.htm,The virus can survive in the air for 3 hours and up to 24 hours in paper, which greatly increases the risk of infection in public toilets.

According to foreign media reports, the toilet flushing cyclone will spray feces, germs or microorganisms up to 4.5 meters away and fall on toilet paper, doorknobs and other surrounding objects. In a public toilet in a medical institution, if it is squatting or does not use a toilet lid, the toilet space may be filled with diarrheal bacteria.

3 potential risks of public toilets

Huang Xuan proposed three potential risks of using public toilets. First, the open outer box may make toilet paper a breeding ground for bacteria and microorganisms. Most public toilets use toilet paper with the opening facing down. The cyclone generated when flushing the toilet will bring bacteria and microorganisms in the toilet to the toilet paper, causing pollution.

Secondly, if it is a roll of toilet paper, many times you have to turn your fingers in a circle to drop the toilet paper, but in this way, you will touch the entire roll of toilet paper. Many people have touched the unused paper roll, which may increase the risk of infection.

In addition, most public toilets do not provide paper towels, even if they do, they are open-ended use boxes, which are easy to contaminate and touch the next paper towel during extraction. The doctor suggested that the paper towel box should be sealed in a sealed way, which can better prevent contact infection caused by extraction.

As for how to use public toilets safely? Huang Xuan suggested that squatting toilets should be used as little as possible, because there is no lid to cover, which increases the risk of bacterial infection. In addition, when using a sitting toilet, be sure to close the toilet lid before flushing. The trader can choose a sealed box that can protect toilet paper and paper towels from contamination.