Do you pay attention when you visit your local coffee shop? Can you observe the person who fills your mug or places the lid on your paper cup? Does that person wear disposable gloves? Are the gloves changed between customers? We are constantly surprised to observe someone take money at the cash register, turn around and grab a paper cup by sticking their fingers inside and on the lip of the cup and then fill it with coffee and push the plastic lid down with the same hand that grabs cash. Are you at all concerned about norovirus or bacterial germs on your coffee cup lid by such behavior?
The War Over Germs:
Americans are passionate about germs. As with so many other topics these days, there appear to be two polarized camps. Germophobes hate shaking hands. They wash their hands a lot, use hand sanitizer during the day and scrub their kitchen counters with disinfectant. When they go out, they try to avoid touching doorknobs and elevator buttons.
On the other side, you have the unconcerned. They don’t worry about germs. Shaking hands or hugging is welcome. Face masks are forbidden. If food drops on the floor they rely on the 5-second rule. That is, if you pick it up within 5 seconds, there’s no need to worry. These folks wash their hands infrequently. They rarely, if ever, wash fruit and never disinfect anything.
Germs On Your Coffee Cup Lid?
Nowhere is this dichotomy more apparent than in your neighborhood coffee shop. The debate centers around germs on your coffee cup lid.
Does the barista who takes your money use the same hand to put the plastic lid on your paper coffee cup? If so, does it bother you? Readers of this column are divided.
Readers Weigh In:
One reader opined:
“I understand the ‘barista and the lid’ anxiety, but it’s based on psychology and appearances, not science or medicine. If you SEE it, it becomes a worry, like the roach on the wall of a restaurant. Disgusting, and you may walk out. But if you never saw it, no big deal. Keep your neuroses to yourself!”
There are plenty of readers who agree, as this one did:
“And so? Do not: breathe, touch anything, eat, and so on and so on. The concern here seems ridiculous. Anything we do in life has risk. So why are coffee lids different from any other object?”
Dirty Money?
Well, one thing that makes coffee cup lids different is the money you’ve just exchanged for your latté.
As one reader noted:
“Where did the barista get the money that he/she is handling? From you! Do you wash your hands every time before paying for something?”
Another one remarked:
“I don’t handle my own foods and beverages with dirty hands, and I don’t want strangers doing it either. I would rather be safe than sick because someone else is too lazy to wash their dirty hands.
“Money is covered with disease-causing pathogens and toxic chemicals because many people have handled it. It is common sense to use caution and not take a risk of becoming ill.”
The Barista Perspective:
There is another perspective to be considered: the one from behind the counter.
One reader commented:
“I’m a barista. I take your order, make your drink, answer the phone, wash the dishes, answer your questions, explain why your order is not ready when there is one barista and twelve customers at once–and get your cup for drip coffee, too. I will get that cup and lid right after taking your money, but what you don’t see is that I wash my hands about thirty times in an eight-hour day, not including doing dishes by hand and getting them out of the bleach rinse (50-100 ppm, tested, every time I make it.) If you get sick because my hands touched your lid I will have a difficult time believing it.”
Flu Season Is Here!
Despite such reassurances, this is the flu season. Viral particles are easily transmitted from hand to coffee lid.
Microbiologist Charles Gerba has tested coffee cup lids and found all sorts of bacterial and viral contamination:
“It’s basically catch a cold with your caffeine in the morning. I don’t think most people expect it.”
Here is a link to the full story in The Daily Wildcat.
The bottom line of Dr. Gerba’s study:
“Gerba said E. coli was just one of the indicators in his study. He also saw other bacteria present, like the Norovirus, which causes adult diarrhea. Bacteria like these can cause people who handle and who drink from these coffee lids to get not only diarrhea, but anything from a common cold to the flu, said Gerba.”
Norovirus? What’s That?
You do not want to know norovirus, mischaracterized in the quote above as bacteria!
Here is what the CDC has to say about norovirus:
“Norovirus is a very contagious virus that can infect anyone. You can get it from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed. This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up. These symptoms can be serious for some people, especially young children and older adults…”
We think that is an understatement. When they say very contagious, they are not kidding. Just a tiny amount of this virus can lead to sudden onset, intense vomiting and diarrhea. Abdominal pain is often part of the mix. And the vomiting and diarrhea are intense! This virus often attacks cruise ships and sends them home to port. But it also affects landlubbers even more frequently.
When someone experiences a norovirus attack in a public restroom they will throw up tens of millions of viral particles. That doesn’t include the billions that come out at the other end of the anatomy. When such a person flushes, the whole bathroom can easily become contaminated with norovirus particles. That includes the floor, faucets and door handle. How many viral particles does it take to catch norovirus?
The CDC says:
“It only takes a few norovirus particles to make you and other people sick.”
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control states:
“Noroviruses are highly contagious and 10-100 viral particles may be sufficient to infect an individual.”
Trust me, those particles are totally invisible!
If someone transmits the tiniest amount of the norovirus on money and it is transferred to your coffee cup lid, you are likely to suffer some very unpleasant consequences.
A reader shares this story about a doctor’s cavalier attitude about norovirus:
Q. Why don’t some medical professionals recognize norovirus more readily? My friend had vomiting with diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever. When she described her illness to me via text, I suggested it could be norovirus.
When she called her doctor as I recommended, he told her norovirus is mainly a childhood disease, so unlikely to affect my elderly friend. Her PCP said it was probably just the flu but offered no prescription or advice.
I was shocked! Every doctor should know about norovirus. What’s more, I’d expect a doctor to be more concerned about an immunocompromised senior like my friend developing any infection. Am I wrong?
A. We are surprised that your friend’s doctor was so cavalier. Norovirus is often called the “cruise ship virus” though it certainly is not restricted to cruises. Most people suffering norovirus in that setting are not children. According to the CDC, people of all ages can get sick with norovirus, which is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea in the US. It is widespread this winter!
Another reader reported her experience:
“I contracted norovirus several weeks ago. Suddenly I found myself on the floor vomiting, followed by severe diarrhea. I felt cold and clammy and was too weak to move.
“Several days later I developed excruciating pain in my colon. I went to the ER and was admitted to the hospital. A fecal test revealed norovirus.
“After three weeks, my GI tract is still not back to normal. I’m a healthy person, but this bug really gave me a beating.”
Norovirus spreads very easily, and people may still be contagious even a week or two after recovering. The main danger is dehydration. No drugs cure norovirus.
What Is the Answer to Germs On Your Coffee Cup Lid?
What is the solution? Well, some readers prefer to make their own coffee at home. That works when you are there, but sometimes you want a cup when you’re out. If you take your thermos with you, you can hang onto the lid yourself while the barista fills the thermos with coffee. Then any germs you’ll encounter will be your own.
What’s Your Opinion?
Which side are you on in this debate?
No worries mate! The more germs the merrier.
Or
Be careful to observe how the barista handles your coffee cup lid. If you see something you don’t like, speak up! Ask for a new cup or a clean lid.
Share your own story or weigh in with your opinion in the comment section below. Now that norovirus is rampant around the country in 2025, you may want to be a bit more careful than usual. Why is this “stomach flu” especially bad this year? We suspect a new variant: GII.17[P17]. You can read more about this evolving intestinal apocalypse at this link.
Why not share this story with friends or family? They might appreciate the warning even if they are generally unconcerned about germs.
Citations
- Cohen, J. "Why the ‘Ferrari of viruses’ is surging through the Northern Hemisphere," Science, Jan. 17, 2025, DOI: 10.1126/science.adv9834
