Does coronavirus infection spread through currency notes? This is what RBI says

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Whether the corona epidemic spreads through notes, this question was being asked for a long time. Now the Reserve Bank has answered this. The Industry Body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hinted that the currency notes could be carriers of bacteria and viruses including Covid virus.

Earlier, on March 9, the CAIT wrote a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asking whether the currency notes were carriers of bacteria and viruses. The CAIT said in a statement that the letter was sent to the RBI from the ministry. The Reserve Bank of CAIT responded to this question on 3 October via e-mail. In which the Reserve Bank stated that ‘notes can be carriers of bacteria and viruses, including corona virus. Therefore, digital payment should be used more and more to avoid this. In the letter, the Reserve Bank further said, ‘To prevent the spread of coronavirus epidemic, people should pay through online digital channels such as mobile and internet banking, credit and debit cards, etc which will reduce cash usage.

CAIT demands Incentive on ‘Digital’

According to CAIT national president BC Bhartia and general secretary Praveen Khandelwal, the RBI’s reply suggests that digital payments should be used more and more. CAIT appeals to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

To introduce a scheme to give ‘intensive’ to promote digital payments, waive the bank charges levied for digital transactions and the government should give direct subsidy to banks in lieu of bank charges. This subsidy will not put a financial burden on the government, rather it will reduce the expenditure on the printing of notes.

It is clear from the RBI’s answer that if someone touches a note that is corona infected, then another person also touches the note, then corona infection can happen. Therefore, some precautions are necessary.

Way of hedging

  1. Avoid transaction of notes in any purchase
  2. Make maximum digital payments instead of cash payments
  3. If you have taken cash in compulsion then first of all sanitize the hand
  4. It is better to sanitize the notes before taking them in hand

(With inputs from officenewz.com)

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