OT: Germs in public restrooms

[Guest guest]

About a year ago there was an off-the-topic post on public restroom

cleanliness and I had mentioned that don't sit on the toilet seats and

that I am a HUGE germaphobe (worried about how I was going to put my

little one on a public potty). Well, one gal thought I was being

overly paranoid. Read this:

* The average employee goes to the washroom 3.3 times per day, so

there's a good opportunity to transmit germs back and forth.

* The outside of a sanitary napkin receptacle is the most

contaminated hot spot in the ladies' room.

* Studies show that viruses and several families of potentially

harmful bacteria can exist on public restroom surfaces.

* The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that

40 million Americans get sick from hand-borne bacteria each year and

80,000 people die.

* Germs, especially fecal bacteria, can be shot into the air when

a toilet flushes. One study showed that bacteria released into the air

in this way can settle on surfaces throughout the bathroom and in

great enough concentrations to spread disease.

Okay, so now I am REALLy going to bring my own little potty in the SUV

for the kids lol!