Do you recommend a lid on toilets used by patients with Ebola to prevent aerosol generation when flushing?

We recommend using a lid on a toilet to reduce splash risk and contamination of the surrounding space. It is important to work with your internal partners, in facilities operations and your Infection Prevention department, along with your local public health partners to develop protocols for toilet use in confirmed patients. A risk assessment would include splash and potential aerosolization, maintenance of plumbing fixtures within the care space and “downstream” from the high-consequence patient, any effect on municipal sewer either from the pathogen of concern or the type, frequency, and concentration of any disinfectant used. This study has additional information: Lin, K., & Marr, L. C. (2017). “Aerosolization of Ebola virus surrogates in wastewater systems.” Environmental Science & Technology, 51(5), 2669-2675.