Money, including cash and cards
Although cash is no longer the first payment choice among American consumers, it’s used in more than one in four transactions. The estimated lifespan of paper cash, according to the Federal Reserve, is from four to 23 years, depending on their denomination. Even with the minimum period of four years is enough for money to become a germ haven. Dr. Ellen Foxman, an assistant professor in Yale’s Department of Laboratory Medicine warns that viruses “can stay on surfaces for like, several days, including things you touch, like cash”.
On the bright side, given that we’re talking about paper, most experts say the coronavirus would only last around 24 hours on it. In addition, infection expert Dr. Christine Tait-Burkard from the University of Edinburgh claimed that “coins are unlikely to spread the disease”.
In China, the government took extreme precaution measures and started using ultraviolet light and heat to kill bacteria on cash. Moreover, banks were instructed to disinfect and sterilize the cash before distributing it to their clients.
The World Health Organization recommended people to use contactless pay systems like Apple Pay instead of cash. “Though many transactions are now cashless, the desire to hold more physical cash during a time of crisis may give some people a sense of control over the situation”, says Shelle Santana, a professor at Harvard Business School.
2 thoughts on “8 Ordinary Objects You Should Avoid Touching During Coronavirus Outbreak”
thanks for the good advice
Most of these, I already knew. I get very upset when I have to sign for a transaction with the special pen provided with the machine. The drug department at Price Chopper is the only place that offers hand sanitation lotion on the counter by that machine. Not so in the grocery department. I try to have my own bottle handy to use right away when submitting a check or using a credit card.
I am working at the polls this next presidential election and for the first time, we will be using the electronic signatures. How we are to work with the pen is that each worker keeps their own pen. The one to be used by the voters is to sanitized after each use. That could be another option for the stores, banks, etc.