(Newswire.net— June 20, 2020) — When you flush water on the toilet, and the lid is not closed, a cloud of small drops is lifted into the air, according to Chinese scientists, BBC reports.
The airborne drops could be easily inhaled which can spread infections such as the coronavirus, scientists say.
According to scientists from Yangzhou University, China, droplets coming from a toilet that is flushed can reach more than 3 feet. Scientists used a 3D computer model to test this theory.
It is easy to prevent this, scientists say. We only have to close the lid before flushing. The research was published in the journal Fluid Physics.
The coronavirus is spread by droplets, through coughing and sneezing, or by spraying which can happen when we flush the toilet. People infected with COVID-19 may also have traces of the virus in their feces, causing facial exposure to the virus.
Scientists around the world are testing sewage and wastewater to determine how some people got infected with the coronavirus.
Other viruses can spread through poor toilet hygiene, known as “fecal-oral transmission.”
When water from the tank falls into the bowl and hits one side, it creates turbulence and causes micro-droplets to fill the air.
The droplets are so small that they can float in the air for more than a minute, according to a study by Ji-Xiang Wang and colleagues from Yangzhou University, China.
Dr. Bryan Bzdek, from the Bristol Aerosol Research Centre at the University of Bristol, says there is no clear evidence that the coronavirus could spread this way, but it makes sense to take precautions.
“The study authors suggest that, whenever possible, we should keep the toilet seat down when we flush, clean the toilet seat and any other contact areas frequently, and wash our hands after using the toilet.
“While this study is unable to demonstrate that these measures will reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, many other viruses are transmitted through the fecal-oral route, so these are good hygiene practices to have anyway.”