[evan_au (OP)]

One of the miscellaneous symptoms noted for COVID-19 has been diarrhea in some patients.
COVID-19 virus particles have been detected in feces.

When we flush the toilet, many fine droplets of water are formed, which could aerosolize the virus, spreading it around.

So should we all put the lid down before flushing? (Especially in hospitals, schools and restaurants...)

Do women finally win this argument?

[alancalverd]

Do women finally win this argument?

You can't win. If you lower the lid, she won't be expecting it, won't look before enthroning, and will blame you for the subsequent shambles. The Y chromosome confers guilt and original sin. Been there. Today's dialectic was as follows:

"I had to walk all the way back to the house because you had locked the shed"
"Yesterday you complained that you had to walk all the way to the shed because I had left it unlocked"
"That was yesterday.  You are a thoughtless idiot."

[Kryptid]

So should we all put the lid down before flushing? (Especially in hospitals, schools and restaurants...)

It couldn't hurt. Even without COVID-19, there are still other pathogens that can be spread. I have to admit that I don't always do it at home, though.

[Bored chemist]

On a related note, does anyone know where I can find data on other disease rates?
I wonder if all this isolation and hand washing has reduced the incidence of other diseases- for example norovirus.