According to a new Chinese study, pubic toilet flush can potentially spread coronavirus. According to the researchers at the Yangzhou University in China, flushing a toilet generates “strong turbulence within the bowl" that can probably expel aerosol particles containing coronavirus out of it and can spread to the next bathroom user.

The researchers explain that the water from a flushed toilet could spray up into the air as high as three feet. Even after flushing (35-70 seconds) after the last flushing, the diffused particles continue to climb causing a huge risk to human health. "Some 40 per cent to 60 percent of the total number of particles can rise above the toilet seat to cause large-area spread, with the height of these particles reaching 106.5 cm from the ground," wrote the authors," said study author Ji-Xiang Wang of Yangzhou University.

The study also says, " confirmed case usually remains at home for isolation, where shared use of a bathroom is inevitable. The daily flow of people in a public washroom is stunningly large: thus, a confirmed case may cause a massive number of infections. For these reasons, investigation of toilets in the context of epidemic prevention is imperative,” the study says. The authors also suggested that a new design of waterless toilets can suppress the transmission of pathogens.

Prevention

The prevent the path of faecal-oral transmission, the researchers advise to put the toilet lid down before flushing, that can possibly reduce the virus transmission. Also, clean the toilet seat before using it, since floating virus particles could have settled on its surface. And most importantly, always wash hands carefully after every toilet use.