A Cloud With A Coronavirus Up To A Meter High Can Form Above The Toilet

A cloud with a coronavirus up to a meter high can form above the toilet

Scientists have conducted a computer simulation of flushing the toilet bowl. New data suggests public toilets can contribute to the spread of COVID-19.

Photo: Marco Verch / Flickr

When flushing toilet water, an aerosol cloud up to a meter high can form, a new study published in Physics of Fluids shows. Scientists remind that the fecal-oral route of transmission is possible for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, therefore, when using the toilet, you need to follow simple rules for preventing infection. This advice is especially relevant in light of the recent discovery that a live coronavirus may be in the feces of an infected person.

Chinese scientists have carried out a computer simulation of the mechanism for flushing water in a toilet bowl. She showed that when water is poured at high speed, vortices are created that move air in the toilet. Upward currents caused by centrifugal force carry thousands of droplets and aerosol particles away. The characteristics of the resulting "cloud" depend on the design of the toilet bowl; up to 60% of the generated aerosol can rise above the seat level.

Dr. Ji-Xiang Wang of Yangzhou University, co-author of the study, noted in a commentary to The New York Times that in real life, public toilets cannot be sterilized all the time; toilet sharing is inevitable among family members. The researchers point out that with the gradual elimination of quarantine measures, public toilets may pose some danger.

It is not known how much of the virus can be in the aerosol formed when the water is drained in the toilet. In addition, scientists still do not know what role toilets and the faecal-oral route play in the spread of COVID-19.

Scientists make three recommendations. Firstly, you just need to close the toilet with a lid while flushing. Secondly, the toilet must be cleaned regularly: it must be borne in mind that viruses can potentially survive on its surface for some time. And lastly, after using the toilet, you need to wash your hands every time.