Is it useful in microwave oven? Corona chasing our money so how do we sterilize it?

Dr.. Osama Abu Al-Rub

Is the new Corona virus causing Covid-19 disease transmitted via banknotes? Is it possible to sterilize these currencies? Did the World Health Organization warn against the use of banknotes because of fears of spreading the virus? Is it possible to sterilize the money from corona by placing it in the microwave?

There are videos spread about this topic and warnings, so what is the truth?

Distorted story
Let's first get to know the distorted story. It happened in the beginnings of last March, when British media said that "the World Health Organization said that the coins transmit the new Corona virus, and it warns people against using it," but this is not the truth.

What happened is that an article in the "Daily Telegraph" quoted a WHO spokesman as saying in response to a question whether banknotes can spread the Corona virus "Yes, this is possible, and it is a good question ... We know that money is constantly moving between hands and can pick up All types of bacteria and viruses .. When possible, it is a good idea to use non-contact payments. "

Corona virus may be present on plastic credit cards, as a study showed that it can live up to one day on cardboard and three days on plastic.

Later, these statements were exaggerated, which prompted responses from the Health Organization for several media outlets. For example, a spokeswoman for the organization, Fadela Chaib, told Market Watch in an e-mail, "We did not say that the money was transmitting corona viruses," and added, "Our words have been corrupted ".

"The World Health Organization did not say that the banknotes would be transferred Covid-19, and we did not issue any warnings or statements about this ... We were asked if we believed that banknotes could transport Covid-19 and we said that you should wash your hands after dealing with Money, especially in the case of handling, preparing, or eating food. " She added that doing so was "a good healthy exercise".

In another report, the health organization explained to the site "Full Fact" that its statement to the newspaper did not reach an official warning about banknotes.

Procedures
Actually, concerns have grown over the role of the paper currency in spreading the Corona virus, and a US Federal Reserve spokesman told Reuters last March that the banking system began quarantining dollars from Asia before recycling it, as regional Feds isolated the paper currency For 7 to 10 days as a precautionary step.

Last February, China and South Korea began to disinfect and isolate used banknotes, as UV rays or high temperatures were used to sterilize currencies, and then stored them for 14 days before returning them to the market.

The Chinese central bank issued four billion yuan in the new currency of Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak of Corona.

According to an analysis of 22 previous studies on similar viruses, it is estimated that coronaviruses - including SARS and novel corona - can remain infectious on solid surfaces for up to nine days at room temperature.

According to the World Health Organization, people can be infected with "Covid-19" disease through people who have the virus. The disease can be transmitted from person to person through small droplets that are scattered from the nose or mouth when the person with the disease coughs or sneezes.

Does not penetrate the skin
The assistant professor of medicine at George Washington College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Michael Knight, told CNBC that the Coruna virus does not penetrate the skin, but infection occurs when viruses pass from your hands to the mouth, nose, or eyes.

Even if you use a non-contact payment method, but do not wash your hands after touching the phone, credit card or payment station, Knight assures that you will be at risk of corona.

So the best thing to do to prevent germs from spreading is washing your hands. If your job requires you to handle money (or any other potentially contaminated surface), it is important to be diligent in washing your hands and not touching your face, says Knight.

You should also wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after going to the bathroom, before eating and after sneezing or coughing.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in America suggests that you also clean and disinfect anything else that you tend to touch a lot with using a regular cleaning or wiping spray.

Nevertheless, Dr. Harry Kistler, a professor of microbiology at Lorraine County Community College, notes that you can clean plastic (cards) but it is not easy to clean a paper currency, as plastic can be sterilized easily with an antiseptic or by wiping it.

What about the microwave oven?
This is what a middle-aged woman from Jiangsu Province tried to put 3125 yuan ($ 449) in banknotes in the microwave. According to the Xinhua news agency, the smell of the fire started to come out of the microwave after less than a minute, and the woman tried to save the banknotes, but it was too late, most of them were burned.

In desperation, the woman brought the charred banknote remnants to her local bank for help by exchanging it, and bank employees had to manually count the money - or what was left of it - and document it. Fortunately, the woman got the full amount from the bank.

So do not put the banknotes in the microwave to sterilize them unless you want to burn them, as the microwave will burn the money, and it may lead to a fire at home.

Conclusion

• The World Health Organization has not issued a formal warning that the Coronavirus is transmitted through paper currencies.
• The Health Organization recommends that people wash their hands after handling paper money, especially in the case of handling, preparing or eating food, but it did not issue a warning about the use of banknotes.
• Clean your hands regularly, by rubbing them with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or by washing them with soap and water.
• Keep at least 1 meter (3 feet) between you and anyone coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, especially after using paper money, payment card, or the phone.
• Make sure that you and those around you follow good respiratory hygiene practices, and that means you cover your mouth and nose with your folded elbow or tissue paper when you cough or sneeze, then dispose of the tissue used immediately.
• If you think a surface may be contaminated, clean it with a regular antiseptic to kill the virus and protect yourself and others, and clean your hands by rubbing them with an alcohol disinfectant or by washing them with soap and water, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.