“It is preferable to favor electronic payments, which avoids direct contacts. However, the cash is not contaminated.” The last sentence of a very recent article on Brussels Environment, the Brussels regional environmental administration is clear: there would be no risk of infection with coronavirus, through banknotes and coins. But can we be as certain as that?
Only one payment method in some small shops
This article titled “Horeca and zero waste food businesses: hygiene measures and social distancing in this period of crisis Covid19“, was posted on April 1. He listed the recommendations between social distance between customers, in terms of take-out, hygiene before mentioning the means of payment available to customers. As l suggested Comeos, the Belgian trade federation, as of March 12,idea is to favor electronic payments. However, several businesses, especially small stores, do not yet have payment terminals, with or without contact. This is the case for bakeries, butchers, night shops, etc. One payment method is often possible: cash.
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It can pick up all kinds of bacteria and viruses
From the start of the global coronavirus crisis – it’s March 2 – the World Health Organization warned in the British press : “LMoney changes hands frequently and it can pick up all kinds of bacteria and viruses. We advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes and to avoid touching their faces. Where possible, it would also be advisable to use contactless payments to reduce the risk of transmission“The opinion is also shared by the Bank of England.
In France, it is in the newspaper Le Monde that a less alarming warning from the Banque de France appears. “As with seasonal flu and like any other surface, an infected person’s respiratory droplets deposited on a ticket could survive for a limited time, but not significant for being a major vector of transmission.“
Virus survival time
In short, what behavior to adopt? Even more recently, Les Echos took a new look at the situation. “It takes seven hours for 50% of the virus to disappear on plastic, and three and a half hours on cardboard. Clearly, the current strain of coronavirus appears more “stable” on plastic and metals than on softer materials“, introduces the business daily.”According to numerous studies, cotton substrate notes (90% of notes in the world, including the euro) are however reputed to harbor more bacteria than polymer (plastic) notes, adopted by the United Kingdom, Canada or Australia. Cotton bills absorb more water, which allows bacteria to survive longer. On the other hand, if bacteria “stick” less to plasticized surfaces, viruses are likely to live there longer.“
Using cash is unhygienic, study finds
For WHO, for the virus to reach its owner, there should be close contact between the bill and the face. Which is rather rare. In any case, according to a Master Card study, which dates from 2014, “two-thirds of Europeans think using cash is unhygienic, but have a hard time getting rid of this bad habit: only one in five wash their hands after touching it.“
But in the meantime, the Covid-19 appeared. And if we are to believe Alexandre Bleibtreu, doctor-infectiologist in the service of infectious and tropical diseases of the Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris, “the risk is minimal. It (the virus) can be transmitted if one does not respect basic hygiene measures but, a priori, there is no more risk than with a bank card or a mobile phone“, explains this in Le Parisien of March 15. Regular hand washing is enough to get rid of the virus.
On Europe 1, this week, the Governor of the Banque de France also wanted to be reassuring : “The Banque de France has looked with the other central banks and there is no sign that banknotes are particularly carriers of the virus.“
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However, remember that in China, from February 15, banknotes were quarantined. Banks use ultraviolet rays or high temperatures to disinfect banknotes, before placing them under seal and isolating them for seven or fourteen days.
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