The whole world is working together to stop the spreading of the coronavirus outbreak, which has been one of the biggest causes of panic this 2020 as this virus is striking fear into the hearts of countries and affecting trade, international relationships, the economy, and even the use of banknotes! According to the World Health Organization, the use of dirty banknotes could pass around the coronavirus or Covid-19 from one person to another.
How do they transfer from banknote to banknote?
The thing about banknotes is that they have to be handheld, and since the most effective way to sanitize anything is with water, banknotes remain in circulation carrying bacteria, germs, and even viruses from one hand to another as soon as you touch the banknote. Infection is a very physical process for the coronavirus or Covid-19 because for this virus to travel, it has to attach itself to a certain object and transfer. Now, what is the object that transfers the most from one person to another? Money!
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The health risk of physical banknotes is increasing
Because of the growing risk when it comes to contamination, every single aspect of interaction must be observed, and every single exchange of material should be accounted for. Well, there is always one material that slips past the normal observation procedures, money! The problem with money is the lack of sanitation methods and the lack of detection with banknotes because of how precious money is and how it is easily overlooked.
If only there were better sanitary measures and better ways to look into how to keenly observe banknotes as they transfer from one person to another, it would altogether minimize the risk of infection between people. The future looks towards cashless transactions, and although they are not yet that applicable worldwide, other countries are already heavily practicing a cashless or minimal-cash society.
Singapore is one of many countries that does not carry around a lot of cash
Singapore is only one of many countries that have already built a culture where its citizens practice cashless transactions and keep as little involvement with banknotes as possible. In this time of the coronavirus or Covid-19 scare, it is quite necessary that we look into getting our hands as far away from cash transactions as we can.
Sanitation is still a big issue, and if we cannot yet address this soon when it comes to banknotes, we may risk a bigger chance of the virus spreading because of how banknotes transfer from one person's pocket to another. The direct contact with these banknotes and a lack of hygiene could lead to instant contamination.
What should the world do about banknotes?
The phasing out of banknotes would take years before everyone is on the same level tech-wise, and only then would a global cashless setting work. For now, proper sanitation and precautionary measures are what need to be observed when it comes to banknotes to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus or Covid-19.
