If You're Flushing A Urinal, You Better Wear A Face Mask, Study Says

Flushing a urinal may produce an "alarming upward flow" of inhalable coronavirus particles, increasing the need for a face mask when in a public restroom, according to a new study. The study, from Yangzhou University in China, which was published in the Physics of Fluid journal on Monday, showed that when flushed, a urinal will allow coronavirus particles to "travel faster and fly father" than a traditional toilet flush. "Urinal flushing indeed promotes the spread of bacteria and viruses," researcher Xiangdong Liu said in a press release (via USA Today). "Wearing a mask should be mandatory within public restrooms during the pandemic, and anti-diffusion improvements are urgently needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19." For the study, researchers measured urinal flushing with computer models, which estimated that in just five seconds into a flush, virus particles could reach a height of more than 2 feet above the ground.