MONEY IS DIRTY: WITH Coronavirus it's better to pay by card

Even money is not spared by the Coronavirus.

Almost all of us have found ourselves waiting in line at a store or supermarket, especially these days. Typically, we wait patiently for our turn; other times, we ask the customer in front of us to move ahead if we have fewer products than them; other times, we simply resign ourselves and wait.
Sure compared to last month, everyone's awareness is at its highest, even between the shelves we pay attention to the distances but when we get to the checkout all the caution used often disappears. Yes, because there is a rather unpleasant thing: many they pay with banknotes: Money is dirty, it carries bacteria and you probably have to be twice as careful as usual.

On TV, on the radio, on the web, even on social networks they continue (rightly) to repeat the fundamental rules to follow to avoid the spread of the virus, but there are few, very few warnings for those few common moments like when you go shopping. However, the fact remains that with a lot of money around, the possibility of continuing to convey the coronavirus through it is not secondary.

In fact, at the moment little or very little is said about money; there is an article in the The Telegraph (1) dated March 2nd in which the WHO (World Health Organization) he says openly that "Dirty banknotes could spread the Coronavirus, those who touch them should immediately wash their hands and choose contactless payments, where possible".

Cash could therefore be a vehicle for the virus, although there are no specific scientific studies that demonstrate this beyond a shadow of a doubt, the reason has led the WHO to consider it as such and the governments of China and South Korea to sanitize money. China, in particular, It used ultraviolet light and high temperatures to destroy any residual viruses, then keeping the money in quarantine for 14 days after this process. Some of the cash most at risk was instead destroyed, CNN also reported (2) on February 17.

Ma How dirty are the banknotes? There is a research conducted in New York in 2017, the study concerned the 1 dollar bills. The list of elements found is very long, from more common organisms such as Propionibacterium acnes, or oral streptococcus; and there are also traces of cocaine were found in 80% of the banknotes examined, in addition to morphine, heroin, amphetamines and methamphetamines in a lower percentage.

Luckily Most of these emerging elements do not cause disease, but there are already studies that demonstrate how more dangerous pathogens can survive and spread with cash.
The resistance of Covid-19 on money will certainly be studied or is already being studied, although preliminary research indicates that The coronavirus can survive on cardboard for a whole day, on steel and plastic for up to three days.

Even ATMs are not excluded: hundreds of people a day put their hands up to withdraw that accused money.
A report conducted once again in New York, the "ATMs" in Manhattan are said to be dirtier than many other things, even dirtier than subway poles and public station bathrooms.

In Italy (unfortunately) we are very attached to cash, perhaps due to old habits or needs of another nature, This situation could be a good opportunity to reduce the circulation of banknotes to a minimum   : in fact, by paying with the card you avoid handling banknotes and coins, you avoid having to go to the ATM frequently, This is a step forward in defeating tax evasion (which would allow us to pay much less taxes in the future)

One thing is quite certain, There hasn't been enough talk about cash in recent weeks and its presumed dangerousness, even though even the WHO has clearly advocated for the use of cards for payments. Not everyone has one, it's true, but there are now numerous zero-cost solutions that allow you to obtain one in just a few days.

However, we must not forget the traders who are suffering the most during this period; most of them cannot even get close to their business and will still have to wait before they can return to their old business. The government must therefore do its part and keep the promises made public in the autumn (9) with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte himself on cutting commissions, now ranging from 0,99% to 4%. Far too high, especially if you add to these monthly rental fees, installation costs, networks and so on.

In conclusion, therefore, demand more than ever that you pay by POS during this period and in the long-awaited Phase 2, at the supermarket, at the restaurant, in a shop, or in a taxi. It's not just good economic practice, now it's also good health practice.

SOURCES CITED AND FURTHER INFORMATION

1. The Telegraph - Dirty banknotes may be spreading the coronavirus, WHO suggests
2. CNN - China is disinfecting and destroying cash to contain the coronavirus
3. Plos One - Filthy lucre: A metagenomic pilot study of microbes found on circulating currency in New York City
4. PublMed - Bacterial contamination of paper currency.
5. MIT - Here's how long the coronavirus can live in the air and on packages
6. New York Post - Manhattan ATMs are absolutely riddled with bacteria
7. REPORT ON THE NON-OBSERVED ECONOMY AND TAX EVASION AND CONTRIBUTIONS YEAR 2018
8. Istat - ECONOMY NOT OBSERVED IN NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
9. Il Fatto Quotidiano - Tax evasion, Confesercenti: "Reduce commissions to promote e-money."