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Comment by sxates | Hacker News Reader

Do we have any data about people actually becoming sick because of toilet flushing aerosols? Everyone enters bathrooms and flushes multiple times per day, but is not constantly sick. So is this actually a problem or just "gross if you think about it"?

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I’m guessing the latter.

My gut reaction to this was “why bother.” But even if a pathogen isn’t spread via toilet water aerosol today, it doesn’t mean a new pathogen can’t emerge that could use this transmission vector in the future.

That said, a virus that spreads in this manner should be containable by having some kind of sterilization agent in the toilet water (already commercially available products you can use that adds bleach (or similar) to the water. Typically a slowly dissolving brick of chemical added to the back of your toilet

> My gut reaction

I see what you did there

> So is this actually a problem or just "gross if you think about it"?

The latter.

Everyone should have the experience of opening a petri dish literally anywhere and then incubating it.

Simple solution is to always put the lid down. Bonus it settles the "seat up vs seat down discussion", with a draw where everybody has skin in the game. I believe it helps keep my immune reserves up stronger by having less busy work. I also keep by toothbrush outside the bath room too.

That is not how the immune system works.

I think the pandemic has taught us that our infrastructure is not well designed to prevent the spread of disease, and that investment in this area can help prevent future pandemics. We used to treat people getting sick as a normal course of life, but obviously people are getting sick from somewhere. The more we can do to prevent that the better quality of life people will have. And more importantly, the harder it will be for potential pandemics to take off. For example we can do a lot to improve building ventilation, which would help reduce transmission of airborne disease like covid.

> I think the pandemic has taught us that our infrastructure is not well designed to prevent the spread of disease, and that investment in this area can help prevent future pandemics.

The only thing the pandemic has taught me is that other people were getting me sick (at work and/or gym, most likely).

I have not been sick with any respiratory sickness (even common cold) since the beginning of COVID, mostly due to going remote.

Shocker- humans are the primary vector for human pathogens.

So, yes, isolation from humans (and animals) will drastically reduce your exposure to pathogens. And probably, joy, fulfilment, and worthwhile experiences as well.

But, you’re not wrong. And for many people, going into work is a bullshit requirement. Remote work FTW.

> The only thing the pandemic has taught me

I bet you have learned more than one thing from the pandemic.

They might have known everything already before ;)

Aren’t we the eternal optimist today! Ah, to have that kind of faith in humanity again.

Maybe we are relatively constantly sick and simply don’t know any different.

Toilets improve hygiene relative to not having them, but it may be that they increase disease in another way which we have not detected yet.

You can't catch something from crap that the crapper didn't already have, and most people use the bathroom in private if they can, where you're mostly only exposed to stuff from household members.

In public it might be an issue.

Maybe it is a bigger issue for people with weak immune systems?

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