The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the use of banknotes during the Covid-19 outbreak could contribute to the spread of the disease.

To minimise the risk of transmission, WHO is advising people to opt for contactless payment options wherever possible. If using banknotes is unavoidable, you should wash your hands immediately after touching them.

“We know that money changes hands frequently and can pick up all sorts of bacteria and viruses,” said a WHO spokesman to The Telegraph. “We would advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes and avoid touching their face. When possible, it’s a good idea to use contactless payments.”

The question about banknotes arose following news of China disinfecting used banknotes to contain the spread of Covid-19. While there seem to be no such plans to disinfect banknotes in Malaysia for now, you can take WHO’s advice and opt for contactless payments if you’re worried about the spread of germs – just use a contactless card or one of the numerous e-wallets in Malaysia the next time you’re making a payment.

(Source: The Independent)

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• Banknotes
• Contactless Payments
• Coronavirus
• Covid-19
• WHO
• World Health Organisations