A second study conducted by Chinese researchers from Yangzhou University reported that flushing a public restroom toilet or urinal can release clouds of virus-laden aerosols that can be inhaled, posing a serious public health challenge.
The scientists simulated and tracked virus-laden particle movements when toilets and urinals were flushed.
The disturbing results revealed that the trajectory of the particles ejected from flushing showed that more than 57% of the particles traveled away from the urinal. The researchers further point out that when men use urinals in a public restroom, these tiny particles can reach their thigh within 5.5 seconds when compared to the toilet flush, which takes 35 seconds to reach slightly higher.
“From our work, it can be inferred that urinal flushing indeed promotes the spread of bacteria and viruses,” said one of the study’s authors. “Wearing a mask should be mandatory within public restrooms during the pandemic, and anti-diffusion improvements are urgently needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
