It’s called toilet plume.
A toilet plume is the invisible to the naked eye, cloud-like dispersal of raw, infectious sewage particles as a result of flushing a toilet. Flush particles rapidly rise out of the bowl and several feet into the air after flushing. Aerosolized droplets can remain suspended in the air for tens of minutes between users, posing an inhalation risk. These invisible particles go on to coat and spread onto surfaces like floors and counters or objects like hand towels, bathmats, or even toothbrushes.
Life is a collection of very small problems and minor precautions that are hopefully never needed. But I’m with you on this one. I think the only reason we’re talking about it at all is “ew poo poo gross!!” and meanwhile most peoples phones are dirtier than money or toilet seats yet they press them to their faces all day long. I’m for taking any precaution that I can easily take but I’m also for not stressing so damn hard about dirt and such. People freak out about public toilet seats and all I can think is: how clean does it need to be for me to press my ass into it? “How clean does it need to be” is really my guiding question. Without that, people start trying to absolutes and that is really unhealthy as well as impossible.
Brilliantly stated and 100%.
Reasonable precautions to prevent disease: good.
Extreme things that actually spark immune responses: bad.
Sometimes it’s counter-intuitive. And I’m sure I get things wrong. But I don’t get sick often at all (that’s mostly because I have the privilege of not being around people much thanks to health, but I have a compromised immune system, so I’m doing something right. heh)
Public toilet seats - one of those things that of course we all have nightmares about nasty ones, but if it looks clean and is in a generally decent environment… it’s pretty safe.
Another counter-intuitive one: Hands vs gloves in food. People with gloves very often touch money and things, thinking “my hands are protected” - which is not the fucking POINT. Unless they have cuts or wounds, washing hands regularly especially to prevent cross-contamination is generally safer than gloves, though that feels wrong. lol