Liverpool's Public Health Director was "shocked" to discover a man's actions after using a public toilet.
Matt Ashton, who has helped to lead Liverpool's fight against coronavirus, instantly took to social media to ask people's opinions on an event which he described as a "shock". He told his Twitter followers he went to use the toilets as he was leaving work, which was "nothing unusual".
After apologising for "over-sharing" he added that he went straight to use the facilities and heard someone else in one of the cubicles. After the other person used the cubicle for "its intended purpose" there was "no problem", he said.
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However, as the professor was washing his hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, he said: "The guy in the cubicle flushes the loo, opens the door, and walks straight out the toilet. Without washing his hands."
He went on to say that "people are not always great at washing their hands", as evidence from the Food Standards Agency suggested that in April 2020 just 35% of people reported washing their hands for 20 to 40 seconds. He added men "frequently don’t wash their hands after having a wee", but the idea of them not washing their hands after using the toilet "for a number two absolutely shocks me".
Prof Ashton wrote: "I mean, you are literally wiping your bum with your hand, separated by a wafer thin piece of toilet paper. And let’s face it, in work environments the toilet paper quality isn’t always exactly top notch! We have the usual signs about hand hygiene in the toilet, and we have literally had the biggest focus on hand hygiene in the last two years, as a result of the Covid19 pandemic!"
He asked his social media followers if they too found it "strange" and was there "a lot more to do around the hand hygiene agenda". After launching a poll asking followers if they wash their hands after going to the toilet, he reminded people of the importance of washing their hands, not just because of the pandemic but because "other germs could be floating around."
