There have been many reasons advanced why cashless payments are better than cash – now there is a new one: the World Health Organisation is pressing for everyone to move to contactless payments to slow the spread of Covid-19 , better known as coronavirus.
Cash, in short, is ”dirty”, it passes on germs and infections, while cashless or more specifically, contactless doesn’t.
“Contactless cards could reduce the risk of transmission,” said a WHO spokesman, but coins and notes can change hands hundreds or even thousands of times during circulation, picking up all kinds of dirt and bugs.
According to experts, Covid-19 can latch on to currency in exactly the same way as it is able to live on hard surfaces like door handles.
WHO advises that everyone should wash their hands after touching banknotes as the virus can be present on the bills several days at a time.