Washing your hands is not enough: close the toilet lid when you flush the chain and be careful with the garbage cans

MADRID, Nov. 7 (EUROPA PRESS) -

Thorough handwashing and sanitizing is already a natural part of our routines due to COVID-19, but a new study has highlighted the dangers of open toilet lids, open bins and drains. defective in the spread of infections in public toilets, as published in the journal 'Science of the Total Environment'.

A global review of the risks of bacterial and viral transmission in public toilets has found that bioaerosols can potentially spread throughout a multi-storey building due to faulty plumbing and that leaving toilet seats open after flushing can disperse contaminated droplets beyond one meter.

Uncovered trash cans in public restrooms are also a risk, especially if they are located under or near electric hand dryers.

Researchers from the Australian National University and the University of South Australia evaluated 38 different studies from 13 countries investigating the risk of infectious disease transmission in public toilets.

In addition to considering the risks of COVID-19 transmission in restrooms, the review also looked at other infectious disease risks in public restrooms in restaurants, workplaces, retail stores, and universities.

Results showed widespread evidence of contaminated surfaces as a cause of fecal-oral transmission, but no documented cases of airborne infectious disease transmission.

After the reopening of the borders, the researchers called for more studies to assess the risks of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in public toilets.

The co-author of the paper, Professor Erica Donner, an environmental scientist at UniSA, says that anecdotal data suggests that users have avoided public toilets in the last 18 months due to perceived risks of COVID-19 transmission.

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"Some people have been concerned about using public toilets during the pandemic, but if you minimize time in the bathroom, wash and dry your hands properly, and don't use your mobile phone, eat or drink, the risks should be low, especially if the bathroom is well maintained," says Professor Donner. "Although there is little evidence of COVID-19 transmission through public toilets, they are teeming with bacteria, especially those that are used frequently and are not cleaned. properly".

A wide range of intestinal, skin and soil bacteria, as well as respiratory viruses, were identified in public toilets, posing a risk of transmission.

Open toilet cisterns, ineffective hand washing or drying, poor cleaning of surfaces, clogged drains, and open bins all contribute to increased bacterial and viral loads in toilets.

Six studies investigated bacterial spread in public toilets, showing that jet air dryers can potentially spread droplets up to three meters, and that toilet flush spreads particles up to 1.5 meters and remains in the air for more than 30 minutes .

A 2021 study estimated that the number of particles from a toilet flush was equivalent to the number of droplets from a person speaking out loud for just over six and a half minutes.

"Although there is a potential risk of aerosol spread from toilet flushing and hand drying, we found no evidence of airborne transmission of intestinal or respiratory pathogens in public toilets in the literature we reviewed," says Professor Donner.

"However, there is no doubt that good handwashing and effective drying is critical to stopping the spread of disease," he said. "As borders open and cases rise, people can protect themselves against infection by COVID-19 if they continue to practice good hygiene. This includes handwashing and sanitizing, as well as disinfecting doorknobs, toilet seats and other frequently touched surfaces."

As she recalls, "these habits will not only reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, but also limit the risk of bacterial infections."