(Riya Singh, Intern Journalist): Those frightened about the use of banknotes amid the ongoing coronavirus disease can expect some relief as a study has found that the risk of catching the viral infection through currency notes is low.
The study considered the worst-case scenario where an infected person coughed or sneezed onto a note. The researchers found that the level of the virus on the surface began to drop rapidly after an hour and after six hours, it had declined to 5% or less.
It was also found that the chances of such direct contamination are relatively low as cash is typically stored securely in tills or wallets. The study added that the chances of an infected person touching notes would result in far lower levels of the virus.
The report also highlighted that the survival of Sars-Cov-2 on the banknotes appears relatively less than other surface areas people come in regular contact with. “A few hours after infection, even at high doses, the levels and therefore associated risk of infection appear low,” the report said.
“Further, the survival of virus on banknotes is no greater – indeed appears potentially less – than on reference surfaces representative of the many surfaces that people may come into contact with in their routine life,” the report stated.
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