Studies are showing that the novel coronavirus can be detected in stool samples and anal swab samples for weeks. In fact, scientists are testing wastewater as an early tracking system for outbreaks. And a recent case on an airplane identified the airplane bathroom as the potential source. When you flush a toilet, the churning and bubbling of water aerosolizes fecal matter. That creates particles that will float in the air, which we will now politely call “bioaerosols”. Surprisingly little has been published on toilets and disease risk (well, maybe not surprisingly). So, what to do with all of this information to protect yourself? First, bathroom ventilation is your best defense. If you have an exhaust fan, turn it on when you enter the bathroom and leave it on when you’re done. If that fan is not on, or you don’t have one, crack open any windows (even just a few inches will help).