Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Here's What Public Health Experts Have To Say About Using Public Restrooms During The Coronavirus Pandemic

"You’re basically kind of going in, to use a cute term, 'a bioweapons factory' - so there is no safe. There's only things you can do to mitigate risk."

Do you remember the last time you used a public bathroom?

As governments reopen additional sectors of the economy, more people will be outside their homes for extended periods of time - and they may have no choice but to use the toilet at a park, office, or restaurant. After all, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

But, with the novel coronavirus still spreading throughout the country, is it safe to use public restrooms?

BuzzFeed News asked several infectious disease doctors, scientists, and public health experts whether they'd be comfortable using toilets outside their homes and other questions about the dos and don'ts of going potty in public during the pandemic.

In short, wherever you decide to pee or poo, please clean up after yourself and WASH👏 YOUR👏 HANDS.👏


Is it safe to use public restrooms during the pandemic?

As we all know, public bathrooms can be gross, but the chance of getting COVID-19 there is probably low. The virus can be transmitted by touching contaminated surfaces, but the more common mode of transmission is through respiratory droplets, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"The coronavirus isn't spreading around the world in public bathrooms," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "That's not how this virus is infecting people and causing worldwide calamity."

Adalja said he personally wouldn't hesitate to use a public bathroom right now, but, as with any activity during a pandemic, there is always a risk.

Ideally, people should use the bathroom before they leave their homes - but when you are out and about and need to go, there are several things you can do to reduce the risk of transmitting an infectious disease, whether it's COVID-19 or something else.

"You’re basically kind of going in, to use a cute term, 'a bioweapons factory' - so there is no safe. There's only things you can do to mitigate risk," said Dr. Greg Poland, a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mayo Clinic.

As with other common spaces, people should touch as little as possible and wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Poland said it's best to use a paper towel to turn the faucet off and open the door because studies have shown those surfaces harbor fecal bacteria.

Robin Patel, president of the American Society for Microbiology, said it's also a good idea to carry hand sanitizer with you in case the restroom is out of handwashing supplies.

Patel also suggested waiting for others to leave the bathroom before going inside.

"Before going into public restrooms, you may want to wait until no one else is inside; if others are there, you should try to stay at least 6 feet from them," she said.


Should I use a disposable seat cover or clean the seat with a disinfectant wipe before I sit?

Not all public bathrooms have disposable paper seat covers, and, at least in this reporter's experience, when they are available, they often run out. But are they a necessity in these times?

Most experts who talked to BuzzFeed News said no, because the coronavirus, which causes respiratory disease, is not transmitted through the skin. It's transmitted via the mouth, nose, and eyes.

The odds of catching the coronavirus from a toilet seat are incredibly low, according to Rosie Redfield, a microbiologist and professor in the University of British Columbia’s Department of Zoology.

"First, an infected person has to somehow get virus particles on their butt, and then the particles to be transferred from the skin to the toilet seat. And then some of them have to be transferred from the seat to your butt, and then some of them from your butt to your hands, and then from your hands to your face," Redfield told BuzzFeed News. "There are many more important things to worry about, like whether your face mask fits well enough to do its job."

Still, there's no harm in using the seat covers or in wiping down the toilet seat with a disinfectant wipe - just don't throw that into the toilet, please.

If the toilet seat is visibly unclean, you may want to find another one or just wipe it off with toilet paper.


Is it OK to flush the toilet with your bare hand?

As already mentioned, one way to minimize the risk of coming into contact with a virus or bacteria is to avoid touching things as much as possible, but experts were split on whether you should avoid touching the toilet flusher.

Poland said some people flush the toilet with their foot, but they could just be making the lever dirtier for the next person because of the bacteria, viral particles, and urine their shoe may have picked up from the bathroom floor.

"Let's say a kid that doesn't know better when they go to flush the toilet — what do you think they touch?" he said.

Adalja said he'd still use his hand to flush, but others said they would touch the flusher with toilet paper in their hand.

"The less contact with touch surfaces the better," Dr. Richard Jackson, a professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, said in an email. "No proof that this would work on COVID, but why not?"

Gerardo Chowell, a professor of epidemiology with Georgia State University’s School of Public Health, also recommended putting the seat lid down before flushing to limit particles blasting through the air.


What's the best way to dry your hands?


While environmentally friendly, hand dryers have been shown to blast fecal bacteria in the air. Experts agreed that it's better to use a paper towel.

"The forced air dryers ... very effectively blow whatever is on your hands around the bathroom and back into your face," Poland said.

Recent research has found that the virus that causes COVID-19 does appear in the urine and fecal matter of people infected with the disease. Although the research has shown that the virus in human waste has the potential to be infectious, it's not yet clear whether someone could actually get infected from the virus in feces.


What should businesses and local governments do to keep bathrooms safe?

Businesses and local governments should keep bathrooms open and ensure that they are regularly sanitized, well stocked, and that the toilets remain functional, experts said.

They should also strive to make the facilities as touchless as possible with motion-sensor sinks and soap dispensers, as well as entrances that don't require people to push or pull open a door (think of open entrances to bathrooms at airports and sports stadiums).

Businesses could also tape off every other urinal or sink and limit the number of people who can use the restroom at any given time to promote social distancing.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
×