Thread by @DearPandemic

1/ Q: I gotta go--in a public bathroom! How do I stay safe?

A (short): Public bathrooms aren’t paragons of cleanliness in the best of times. But you can reduce your risk by WASHING THE HECK OUT OF YOUR HANDS, wearing a #mask, and avoiding touching surfaces as much as possible.

2/ And please don’t be scared, just careful! In the wise words of @JohnsHopkinsSPH infectious disease physician and scholar Dr. @AmeshAA, “the #coronavirus isn't spreading around the world in public bathrooms."

3/ Our longer answer, sourced from an excellent Buzzfeed article:

(1) It’s best to use a paper towel or Kleenex to turn the sink faucet on and off (see the slightly exaggerated, but informative gif below)

(2) Carry hand sanitizer with you as a back-up

4/
(3) If possible, wait to use the restroom until others are out. If not possible, keep the max amount of physical #distance from others

(4) If there’s a seat lid, close it prior to flushing

(5) Avoid hand dryers, which can “blast fecal bacteria in the air” (yuck!)

5/ Additionally, businesses are racing to upgrade the sanitization and structuring of their bathrooms to improve cleanliness and physical distancing.

6/ Interest in innovative “female restroom alternatives” is also growing, with products such as the “SaniGirl” and “Feminal” seeing a big jump in sales.
[See the NPR link below to read more. Their most loyal customer bases appear to be road trippers and backpackers.]

7/ Innovative products aside, good old-fashioned #Handwashing remains our best line of safety. When paired with mask-wearing and common sense there’s absolutely no need for anxiety.

@BuzzFeedNews link: buzzfeednews.com/article/skbaer…

@NPR link: npr.org/2020/05/23/861…