Why you shouldn’t get paranoid about coronavirus on bank notes

New Delhi, Oct 12 : As new research claiming that Covid-19 can survive longer on bank notes — up to 28 days at 20 degree Celsius along with humidity — started doing the rounds amid the corona surge, health experts said on Monday that people should avoid being paranoid and must take proper pandemic-related precautions.
Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science agency, claimed that that SARS-CoV-2 can remain infectious on surfaces for long periods of time as it can survive for up to 28 days on common surfaces including bank notes, glass such as that found on mobile phone screens and stainless steel.
Stressing that there are loopholes in this study, Dr Richa Sareen, Consultant- Pulmonology, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj, Delhi, said that the research was carried out in the dark, with stable temperature (20 degree) and humidity.
“These are virus friendly conditions and do not simulate the actual temperature and humidity variations. Earlier studies had documented the presence of virus on bank notes for up to two-three days and glass and steel for six-seven days, which seems more acceptable,” Sareen told IANS.
Another important point to remember here, she said, is that fomites (inanimate objects) are not the main source of spread of Covid-19 infection.
“It is primarily spread by aerosols, droplets and personal contact”.