The AARP recently published a good article about avoiding germs in public restrooms. This information is valuable at any time, but especially during the pandemic. Please read the full article. Here are excerpts:

Tips to stay safe in the stall

1. Go before you go. Most older adults can’t go hours and hours without going to the bathroom, as bladder muscles tend to weaken with age. What’s more, the older you are, the more likely you are to have issues such as urinary incontinence or prostate problems.
   
   
2. Wear a mask. Keep it on even in a seemingly empty bathroom, and wear it in the stall. It’s also important to make sure the bathroom is well ventilated — you can usually tell if you hear a fan. Research shows that well-vented restroom air moves out of the room so quickly that any aerosol droplets won’t persist for very long.
   
   
3. Spritz the stall before you enter. Philip Tierno, a clinical professor of microbiology and pathology at NYU Langone Health, recommends spraying the air in a stall, as well as the toilet seat, with a disinfectant that contains ethyl alcohol and dimethyl benzyl ammonium saccharinate, such as Lysol, and waiting up to a few minutes, ideally, before entering.
4. Prepare to flush and rush. The problem of toilet plume can easily be dealt with by putting the lid down to flush, but public restroom lids often can’t be lowered. In these cases, be prepared to exit as soon as you flush.
   
   
5. Double up with hand sanitizer. Even after you lather up and wash your hands after using the loo, Dab on some hand sanitizer as well. Make sure to reapply it if you’ve touched any high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, faucets, or wastebaskets, as well.
   
   
6. Skip the hand dryer. A 2018 study published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology suggests that hot-air hand dryers could potentially be germ bombs, shooting out loads of viruses and bacteria from bathroom air directly onto your hands. Opt for a disposable paper towel instead, suggests Tierno.
   
   
7. Don’t putter around on the potty. Almost 75 percent of Americans admit to using their cell phone while on the toilet. But while you’re in a public restroom, just skip it. You really want to limit your time in the bathroom right now and just use it for what it’s intended for.