As public health officials around the world
battle to contain the spread of coronavirus, the World Health Organization has
warned that banknotes may transmit the disease. “We know that money changes
hands frequently and can pick up all sorts of bacteria and viruses,” a WHO
spokesman told the Telegraph. “We would advise people to wash their hands after
handling banknotes, and avoid touching their face.” The spokesman also advises
using contactless payment options wherever possible, to minimise the risk.
“The primary transmission route is via
droplets,” says Prof Jürgen Haas, the head of infection medicine at the
University of Edinburgh. “These droplets are generated by coughing, and can
directly infect another person via airborne infection, or by transmission via
hands or other surfaces.”
Hass explains that coronavirus can persist on
inanimate surfaces for “quite a long time”, although no one knows exactly how
long yet, as Covid-19 is so new.
“The survival time of the virus depends on the
surface and the conditions,” says Haas. “The lower the temperature, the longer
the survival time. If the temperature is warmer, the survival time of the virus
goes down.” The viability of the virus will decrease during this time, reducing
the risk of transmission.
Although coronavirus can be transmitted via
inanimate objects, the odds of contracting it in this way are low. “The amount
of virus that is potentially on an inanimate object is usually very small,”
says Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, an expert in infection and immunity at the
Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh. She explains that there
typically wouldn’t be much coronavirus on a person’s fingertips, and it would
still have to get past your respiratory system to infect you. “Your respiratory
system is very good at filtering out viruses,” Tait-Burkard says.
While the risk is low, it is sensible to take
precautions. Official NHS advice is to wash your hands regularly (or use hand sanitiser
with at least 60% alcohol content, if you are not able to get to a
sink), cough into your elbow and dispose of used tissues immediately. But which
objects pose the greatest risk of coronavirus transmission?
Banknotes
Banknotes can carry the coronavirus. But try
not to be too alarmed: the risk is small. “Unless someone is using a bank note
to sneeze in,” Tait-Burkard says. Don’t worry too much about loose change.
“Coins are actually very bad environments for viruses to survive,” she says.
Door
handles
Touching these is often unavoidable, and a lot
of different people may do so, so be mindful of where you are touching the
handle and wash your hands frequently to combat this.
Office
kitchens
Coffee machines or kettles will be handled by
multiple people, so it’s a good idea to use hand sanitiser after doing the tea
round.
ATMs or
ticket machines
“If you’re withdrawing money from a machine,
that’s also something that’s going to be touched by many people,” says Haas.
Ditto ticket machines.
Handrails
Escalators, tube handrails, banisters – all
will be touched constantly, potentially by thousands of people a day. “If
you’re on public transport, there’s no way not to touch the handrails,” says
Tait-Burkard. “So when you get off, disinfect your hands.”
Communal
bathroom surfaces
“People often blow their noses in the
bathroom,” Tait-Burkard observes.
Hospital
surfaces
“Shaking hands is a frequent transmission
route for disease in hospitals,” says Haas. “It’s why health personnel are
supposed to regularly disinfect their hands.” If you are visiting someone in
hospital, or have an appointment, wash your hands thoroughly before and after
visiting.
Telephones
Less of a problem in the age of smartphones,
but if you share an office phone, it is something to consider.
Airplane
seats
“International travel is a risk factor for
transmission,” says Tait-Burkard. So make like Naomi Campbell, and wipe down
your seat pre-takeoff.
Anything
in a GP surgery
“The public health advice is that you should
call NHS 111, rather than go to your GP, if you fear you have coronavirus,”
says Tait-Burkard. “But there will be some people who go to the GP, despite the
advice. So there is a higher risk.” She points out that all GP surgeries
usually provide free hand disinfectant – so take advantage of what is on offer,
and apply it liberally.
