RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The WHO (World Health Organization) has said banknotes could help spread Covid-19, better known as the coronavirus. The organization recommended that people wash their hands after handling banknotes.
According to The Telegraph newspaper, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, people should use contactless technology whenever possible, added a spokesman.
The Bank of England acknowledged that banknotes “can carry bacteria or viruses” and urged people to wash their hands regularly.
China, the epicenter of the coronavirus, has begun to sanitize and isolate used banknotes as part of its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. South Korea, now the country with the highest number of cases outside China, is also cleansing banknotes.
Employees used ultraviolet light or high temperatures to sterilize the banknotes, placing them back into circulation after having sealed and stored them for up to 14 days.
A Bank of England source stressed that there were no plans to do likewise in the United Kingdom.
However, the World Health Organization said the British public should be careful when handling potentially infected banknotes.