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ECB says it’s unlikely to contract coronavirus from cash

The virus can be detected on surfaces only in very low concentration

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ECB says it’s unlikely to contract coronavirus from cash. Source: pixabay.com

According to the European Central Bank (ECB), euro banknotes don’t represent a significant risk of infection compared to other kinds of surfaces.

At the same time, other analyses highlight that it’s much more difficult for a virus to be transferred from porous surfaces than from smooth surfaces like plastic.

Coronaviruses can survive more easily on a stainless steel surface (e.g. door handles) than on our cotton banknotes, with survival rates approximately 10 to 100 times higher in the first few hours after contamination
Fabio Panetta, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB

The data found that in order to cause an infection, the virus would have to be transferred from a banknote to a person’s hands and, from there, to their mouth, eyes, or nose.

Meanwhile, the Bank of Lithuania revealed it has taken additional precautionary measures amid the pandemic. For instance, all the cash returning from the circulation is held separately for nearly a week before starting handling it.

We’ve reported that the Bank of Canada encourages retailers to keep accepting cash so that Canadians have access to the goods and services they need. According to the statement, refusing cash purchases will put a burden on businesses that depend on cash, thus have limited payment options.

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