Flushing public restroom toilets or urinals can spew clouds of particles carrying viruses, including COVID-19
The researchers’ work clearly shows public restrooms can be dangerous places for potentially becoming infected from a virus, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other work has shown that both feces- and urine-based virus transmission is possible.
What the simulations revealed is disturbing. The trajectory of the tiny particles ejected by flushing a urinal “manifests an external spread type, with more than 57% of the particles traveling away from the urinal,” said Liu.
Journal Reference: Ji-Xiang Wang, Yun-Yun Li, Xiang-Dong Liu, Xiang Cao. Virus transmission from urinals. Physics of Fluids, 2020; 32 (8): 081703 DOI: 10.1063/5.0021450
Wear a mask. Don’t flush. Hold your breath.
Better yet, don’t pee in a public restroom.
Sometimes you just Gotta go! And the sad thing is most public restrooms don’t have lids on the toilets. The ones in airports flush automatically and if you run fast enough you can get away. But the breath holding and mask wearing is a good idea. And if possible wash your hands and put on a new mask afterwards.
I will be using the Low Liquid Volume In strategy too.
I don’t understand what you mean by that strategy. I thought the danger was from spray from other people’s urine and or feces
Personal intake of fluids as in coffee and water before getting into the car.
But just because you have a low volume of urine, that won’t make the splash up any less. I guess it would perhaps make fewer trips to the bathroom. Still think your best bet would be either a bottle in the car or a tree at wooded area.
Great suggestions. We’ll how the trip goes.