衝馬桶時不合蓋,病毒可躥至1米高處

Flushing the toilet with the lid up creates a cloud of spray that can be breathed in and may spread infection, such as coronavirus, say researchers.

研究人員稱，衝馬桶時不蓋上蓋子，就會吸入馬桶上方的水霧，從而可能感染和傳播病毒，比如新冠病毒。

Chinese scientists calculate that flushing can propel a plume of spray up and out of the toilet bowl, reaching head height and beyond.

中國科學家估算，衝馬桶會造成馬桶中的水霧升騰到頭部高度甚至更高。

Droplets can travel up to 3ft - or 91cm - from ground level, according to the computer model used by the scientists from Yangzhou University.

根據揚州大學的科學家運用的計算機模型，（衝馬桶產生的）飛沫可傳播到距離地面3英尺（91釐米）的高度。

Shutting the lid would avoid this.

蓋上馬桶蓋子則會避免這種傳播。

The work is published in the journal Physics of Fluids.

該研究發表在期刊《流體物理學》上。

Coronavirus is spread through airborne droplets from coughs and sneezes, or objects that are contaminated with them.

新冠病毒通過咳嗽和打噴嚏散佈到空氣中的飛沫，或是被新冠病毒污染的物體來傳播。

People who are infected can also have traces of the virus in their faeces, although it is not yet clear whether this might be another way to pass the disease on to others.

在新冠病毒感染者的糞便中也能檢測到病毒，不過尚不清楚病毒是否也能通過糞便傳播。

Scientists around the world are testing sewage and wastewater to determine how some people might have become infected with coronavirus.

世界各地的科學家正在測試下水道的污水和廢水，以確定某些人是如何感染新冠病毒的。

Other viruses can be spread by poor toilet hygiene, known as faecal-oral transmission.

其他病毒可以通過不良的如廁衛生習慣來傳播，也就是所謂的糞口傳播。

As water pours into the toilet bowl during a flush, it strikes the side, creating turbulence and droplets. The droplets are so small they typically float in the air for more than a minute, according to study author Ji-Xiang Wang from Yangzhou University, China.

該研究報告的作者、來自中國揚州大學的王吉祥（音譯）寫道，在馬桶沖水時，水流涌進馬桶內會撞擊側面，引發湍流和飛沫。這些飛沫非常小，通常會在空氣中懸浮超過一分鐘。

Dr Bryan Bzdek, from the Bristol Aerosol Research Centre at the University of Bristol, said although there was no clear evidence that coronavirus might spread in this way, it made sense to take precautions.

來自布里斯托大學布里斯托氣溶膠研究中心的布萊恩·布茲德克博士說，儘管沒有明確證據表明新冠病毒可能以這種方式傳播，但是採取預防措施是合理的。

"The study authors suggest that, whenever possible, we should keep the toilet lid down when we flush, clean the toilet seat and any other contact areas frequently, and wash our hands after using the toilet.

“研究作者指出，只要可能，我們應該在衝馬桶時把馬桶蓋子放下來，經常清潔馬桶座和其他任何和身體接觸的區域，並在如廁後洗手。”

"While this study is unable to demonstrate that these measures will reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, many other viruses are transmitted through the faecal-oral route, so these are good hygiene practices to have anyway."

“儘管這項研究無法證明，這些措施會減少新冠病毒的傳播，但許多其他病毒都是通過糞口傳播途徑傳播的，所以無論如何，這都是很好的衛生習慣。”