Back to Home

By Jamie Roberts

PUBLISHED: 17

 

Coronavirus can be transmitted via payment terminal buttons and banknotes

 
 
Researchers in Switzerland discovered that infectious viruses can survive for several days on banknotes, especially in the presence of even a tiny amount of mucus.  In fact, payment terminals may be worse than cash. 
 

Trying to understand how respiratory viruses such as coronaviruses spread at airports, Finnish researchers in 2018 collected surface and air samples at a major airport and tested them for viruses. They took ninety swab samples from frequently touched surfaces such as handrails, luggage trays at the security check area, toilet flushing buttons and doorknobs. Most surfaces did not have any viruses, and even all 14 samples from the airport toilets came out sparkling clean. However, there was one surface testing positive for both rhinovirus and a coronavirus: the buttons of the payment terminal at the pharmacy. Business owners should help their customers avoid both bacterial and viral infections.

Payment Terminal

By JESSICA RACH FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: | UPDATED: 

 

GP reveals you should be disinfecting your bank card once a week because it could be contaminated from previous users all touching the same reader amid coronavirus outbreak

 
 
A GP has revealed how debit and credit cards can carry microbes from those who have used the same card reader before you, including bacteria such as salmonella and E.Coli.
He explained that germs can hide in the nooks and crannies of watches, rings, credit cards and bank notes, and recommends disinfecting your cards and jewellery once a week.  Dr Chike said: 'I can certainly envisage a scenario where your card could be contaminated with microbes from those whom have used the exact same card reader previously. 
 

Dr Chike concluded: 'This suggests the virus could live on credit cards anything from hours to days.

'The bacterial bugs commonly found on cards include  staphylococcus aureus, the cause of staph (skin) infections, salmonella enterica and E.Coli, a common cause of food poisoning.

26492372-8160675-image-a-47_1585325462790
Back to Home