"Can't I sit on someone else's hot stool?" Illness | Seating | Stool
In places such as buses, subways, parks, etc
Everyone inevitably comes into contact with "hot chairs"
recently
Topic "Why can't I sit on someone else's hot stool"
Rush to hot search
A netizen asked a question
Saying someone got off the bus
A boy next to him wants to go sit down
But was reminded by an aunt in the same car to wait for the seat to cool down before sitting
I have also heard my mother say similar things
I really want to know why?
This topic quickly sparked discussion
Some people believe that
Do not sit on hot stools that others have sat on before
It's because there's a possibility of infectious diseases
However, some netizens also believe that
This statement has no scientific basis
"I don't want to sit on a hot stool because of psychological reasons."
Or maybe it's because
"From a young age, being obedient is the right thing to do."
I often sit on "hot stools" on the subway
"When the stool cools down, the seat will be gone."
Sitting on a hot stool
Is there a risk of infectious diseases?
Most pathogens of diseases transmitted through contact cannot survive for too long in dry and hot environments, and to penetrate the skin barrier, they often require sufficient quantity and activity.
Therefore, as long as a person's skin barrier is intact, the residues on these benches are unlikely to pose a threat to their health.
Dr. Pan Hongying, Director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, said that regardless of the type of infectious disease, the transmission route is crucial, such as contact transmission, blood transmission, respiratory transmission, etc. Simple "stool fever" will not cause infection.
The weather is getting hotter, and everyone's clothing is relatively cool. Assuming that pathogens need to be transmitted through chairs, the most likely way is through contact, but this contact also has prerequisites.
For example, if the skin of the person sitting on the previous chair comes into direct contact with the chair, the seat surface may leave dander, sweat, sebum, and some bacteria on the skin surface. But "it's not that contact with pathogens can lead to infection. Most pathogens transmitted through contact are sensitive to temperature and humidity, and can quickly die after leaving the human environment. To allow them to penetrate another person's clothing and skin barrier, sufficient quantity and activity are required, and this possibility is very small, so there's no need to worry too much," said Pan Hongying.
Of course, it does not mean that this risk is completely non-existent. For example, a patient with chickenpox, skin candidiasis, scabies, psoriasis, and other diseases may have left bodily fluids in their seat due to skin damage. Someone happens to sit in this position right after they leave, and unfortunately, there is also skin damage in the area of contact with bodily fluids, so there is still a possibility of infection.
Pan Hongying also mentioned that as for urinary system diseases, there is usually clothing blocking when sitting, and the anus or urethra do not directly contact the seat, so there is very little possibility of contact transmission. But in the same way, if the previous seated person leaves secretion and the latter happens to sit on it, there is also a possibility of retrograde infection. Instead of checking if the chair is hot, it's better to check if it's dirty.
What should I pay attention to when encountering public facilities?
For regular cleaning, dry and hygienic public places, there is not much risk of infectious diseases.
1. Stay away from damp and poorly cleaned places
Some places, such as public restrooms, have poor cleaning conditions and are also relatively humid, which can easily become breeding grounds for bacteria. It is better to stay away from them as much as possible.
2. Wash your face and hands immediately after returning home
Dust in the air can easily settle in the pores of the skin, and hands may come into contact with a large number of public facilities every day. Contact with the mouth and nose without cleaning often easily spreads pathogens through the fecal and oral route.
Therefore, washing hands frequently and using hand sanitizers with bactericidal effects can better protect personal hygiene.
3. Pay attention to avoiding crowded occasions
Wear a mask in environments with a large population and poor ventilation. If coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose to protect yourself and others.
Source | Qilu Evening News, Urban KuaiBao, Science Popularization China, netizens' comments
