Public Restrooms and the Pandemic?

Public Restrooms and the pandemic? by Margaret De Stefano

Should you avoid public bathrooms? Can flushing spread the coronavirus? Here's what experts know so far, plus some tips for staying safe in the stall.

1. Go before you go. Avoid coffee and other caffeinated drinks, which can make you urinate more because they are diuretics. Go to the bathroom before you leave your house 2. Wear a mask. Keep it on even in a seemingly empty bathroom, and wear it in the stall. It's also important to make sure the bathroom is well ventilated 3. Spritz the stall before you enter. Spray the air in a stall, as well as the toilet seat, with a disinfectant that contains ethyl alcohol and dimethyl benzyl ammonium saccharinate ideally, before entering. 4. Prepare to flush and rush. Be prepared to exit as soon as you flush. Don't bother with paper toilet seat covers, either: It's not likely that they offer any additional protection. 5. Double up with hand sanitizer. Even after you lather up and wash your hands after using the door. Make sure to reapply it if you've touched any high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, faucets or wastebaskets, as well. 6. Skip the hand dryer. A 2018 study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggests that hot-air hand dryers could potentially be germ bombs, shooting out loads of viruses and bacteria from bathroom air directly onto your hands. 7. Don't putter around on the potty. Almost 75 percent of Americans admit to using their cell phone while on the toilet. But while you're in a public restroom, just skip it.

kill Germs on your Phone!

Your smartphone could be far dirtier than a toilet seat. After all, market researchers who study our habits say we touch our smartphones in excess of 2,500 times a day. Plus health researchers say contaminants such as coronavirus can live on a phone's surface as long as three or four days. Be sure to use sanitizer on it after shopping, and several times during the day if you have been out of the house touching tables and seats in restaurants, credit cards, cash or ATM machines.

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