Did you know that toilet flushing can disperse airborne particles up to 3-4 feet away from the seat?
 |  | By Daphne Lee, News Editor | | | On this World Toilet Day, I'm celebrating my most important pandemic habit: closing the toilet lid before flushing. Watch this short explainer on how the toilet "plume effect" shoots micro-droplets up as it flushes. You'll never be the same. | | | Today's Top Story | | Close the Toilet Lid When You Flush |  | When public health experts were unsure how COVID-19 spread last year, many were wary of public spaces, especially public bathrooms. But there's no documented COVID-19 cases from public restroom use, according to the CDC.
But did you know that toilet flushing can disperse airborne particles up to 3-4 feet away from the seat? These droplets—potentially carrying bacteria and viruses—can travel and settle on surfaces.
While you probably won't get an infection from toilet flushing, you could catch pathogens if you don't wash your hands properly. Public restrooms are a breeding ground for viruses like E. coli and norovirus.
It's understandable if you don't want to touch a public toilet lid, though. And some public toilets don't even have lids. I just stay as far away from the toilet as possible while it flushes. After the ordeal, remember to wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds—just sing the birthday song twice in your head. | | Know More | | Researchers in Australia found that bathroom bacteria and viruses are most likely to be transmitted through the fecal-oral route, which usually happens when people don't wash their hands after using the toilet and then touch other surfaces. | | Feel Better | | In addition to hand washing, you can also carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in case a public bathroom has no soap or running water. Avoid eating, smoking or using your cell phone in the stall to minimize the risk of bacteria latching onto food or surfaces. | | |  | | In the latest Verywell vaccine sentiment survey, 54% of parents said they worry about side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine on their children. But they're equally worried about their kids getting infected by the coronavirus or developing long COVID. |  |  | | 50 Countries Pledged to Cut Healthcare Emissions | | Most people don't realize that the healthcare industry contributes to 5% of global greenhouse emissions. In the United States, it's even higher at 8.5%. "If health care were a country, it would be the fifth largest polluter on the planet," said Josh Karliner, national director for programming strategy at Healthcare Without Harm. At the recent COP26 climate summit, 50 countries promised to develop climate-resilient, low-carbon healthcare systems and achieve "net zero" emissions. | | | | Uber Got Sued for Overcharging Disabled People | | The Department of Justice is suing Uber for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by charging an extra "wait time" fee. Uber passengers are charged a fee if they don't get into a vehicle within two minutes of its arrival at the pickup location. Prosecutors said that the policy is ableist and harms disabled riders. After the complaint was filed, Uber now allows disabled riders to ask for the fee to be refunded. One of our readers has already done so. | | | | | | | |  | | Monique Rainford, MD, Verywell's Medical Advisory Board member, says that meditating or taking a quiet moment to yourself every day can help relax your mind. |  | | A little retreat from the hustle and bustle of life is important for us. There is plenty of research that backs the benefits of prayer and meditation. Even taking 5-10 minutes of quiet time to yourself every day can help put your mind at ease. | |  |  | Monique Rainford, MD
Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine
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