In fact, a recent study<\/a> looked at contaminated surfaces and the infection risk in common hotel lobby areas, including the check-in counter, elevator, lounge and bar, office spaces, gym and restroom. <\/p>\n Thomas Barwick via Getty Images<\/p>\n The front desk counter ranked second for the most touches.<\/p>\n \u201cThis study showed that just a couple of heavily used surfaces \u2026 can quickly spread germs around a hotel lobby,\u201d said Dr. Kelly Reynolds<\/a>, an environmental scientist at the University of Arizona\u2019s College of Public Health and researcher for the study. \u201cBecause so many people touch the same spots, germs can jump from hand to hand, to face, and even to food.\u201d<\/p>\n We talked to experts about which hotel lobby surfaces are the germiest, types of viruses and bacteria that may be lurking, and how likely you are to get sick \u2014 plus what precautions you can take to avoid picking up a bug.<\/p>\n So what are the germiest spots in a hotel lobby? <\/p>\n \u201cThe lobby is filled with all sorts of great hiding spots for germs, but to find the most germs, you need to look \u2026 at high-touch environmental surfaces,\u201d Tetro explained.<\/p>\n So what is the most-touched site in the hotel lobby? The study found that the elevator button received about a third of all touches, Reynolds said.<\/p>\n Elevator buttons are \u201ca central hub, serving as a super-spreader site \u2026 [because they connect] people to other parts of the lobby and [spread] germs easily,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The front desk counter ranked second for the most touches, followed by tabletops, bar tops and buffet countertops in food service areas.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause people tend to touch their mouths while eating, germs could easily travel from hands to food,\u201d Reynolds said.<\/p>\n Entry door handles, such as from the parking garage into the lobby, are considered risky because germs can enter from the outside.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study actually placed a harmless virus there to track how far it could travel, and it spread widely, impacting about half of all targeted surfaces,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Even though bathroom door handles weren\u2019t touched as much as other areas, Reynolds noted they are still important to be aware of.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople using the bathroom might not wash their hands well, which can spread harmful fecal bacteria,\u201d Reynolds said. <\/p>\n Lastly, surfaces that are difficult to clean properly were also contaminated, like upholstered chairs in the lobby.<\/p>\n \u201cUpholstered furniture is often overlooked during cleaning, and even when cleaned, [it] can be difficult to remove germs given the porous, protective nature of woven fabrics,\u201d she pointed out.<\/p>\n What kind of germs are lurking in the hotel lobby?<\/p>\n \u201cIn any area, you\u2019re going to see viruses that cause respiratory infections because people are coughing, wiping their nose with their hands, and touching things,\u201d said Dr. Shira Doron<\/a>, chief infection control officer for Tufts Medicine and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center. Think bugs like flu, RSV, COVID and the common cold.<\/p>\n Bacteria that cause food poisoning (such as salmonella<\/a> and campylobacter<\/a>) are more likely to be found in the food service areas or bathroom, she explained. Other gastrointestinal pathogens, like norovirus<\/a> (commonly referred to as a \u201cstomach bug\u201d), are also more likely to be lurking in the bathroom.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you were to swab and culture \u2026 [hotel lobby] surfaces, you would [also] certainly find skin microbes such as Staphylococcus,\u201d Tetro added.<\/p>\n This bacteria can cause staph infections that appear as skin boils. But if it enters deeper into your body, like in the bones, joints, bloodstream, heart or lungs, it can lead to severe or life-threatening illness, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>.<\/p>\n But how likely are you to get sick?<\/p>\n Well, it depends on many factors, such as the type of germ, the hotel\u2019s cleaning protocols and your immune system.<\/p>\n First of all, to actually get infected, there has to be a high enough amount of the bacteria or virus, which is called the \u201cminimal infective dose.\u201d <\/p>\n For example, \u201cthe amount you need to get sick [from norovirus] is one \u2026 E. coli is like 100,000 \u2026 flu is about 1,000 and COVID [or a] cold is about 50,\u201d Tetro explained.<\/p>\n Kevin Trimmer via Getty Images<\/p>\n The study found that hotel elevator buttons received about a third of all touches.<\/p>\n The hotel\u2019s cleaning procedures for the lobby also matter. The study showed that \u201cusing effective disinfectants on high-touch surfaces can reduce infection risk by over 97%,\u201d Reynolds said.<\/p>\n Even if you do pick up germs, your immune system may be able to fight them off before you get sick.<\/p>\n \u201cRegular exercise, good sleep, nutritious food [and] stress management\u201d are key for maintaining a healthy immune system, Doron explained. \u201cPeople with compromised immune systems, from disease or medications, are [also] at higher risk of becoming sick after being exposed to pathogens.\u201d<\/p>\n What can you do to avoid getting sick? <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019m in a hotel lobby, I might touch a lot of surfaces \u2026 [like] the credit card machine and elevator buttons, but I\u2019m very careful not to touch my face without washing my hands,\u201d Doron said. \u201cSo I consider my risk to be very low.\u201d <\/p>\n Tetro recommended bringing a bottle of hand sanitizer with you everywhere. Make sure it contains 62-70% of ethanol, and use enough for your hands to feel wet for about 20 seconds as you\u2019re rubbing it in, he advised.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/689f385418000042528c57c0.jpeg\")
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