No particular risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 from cash, study finds


Date:
July 29, 2021
Source:
Ruhr-University Bochum
Summary:
How long do coronaviruses remain infectious on banknotes and
coins? Is it possible to become infected through contact with
cash? Researchers developed a method specifically to test how many
infectious virus particles can be transferred from cash to the skin
in real-life conditions. Conclusion: under realistic conditions,
the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from cash is very low.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
How long do coronaviruses remain infectious on banknotes and coins? Is
it possible to become infected through contact with cash? Experts at
the European Central Bank, in collaboration with the Department of
Medical and Molecular Virology at Ruhr-Universita"t Bochum, wanted to
clarify this question. The researchers led by Professor Eike Steinmann
and Dr. Daniel Todt developed a method specifically to test how many
infectious virus particles can be transferred from cash to the skin in real-life conditions. Conclusion: under realistic conditions, the risk
of contracting Sars-Cov-2 from cash is very low.

The study has been published in the journal iScience from 26 July 2021.


========================================================================== Viruses on banknotes and coins To find out how long Sars-Cov-2 persists
on coins and banknotes, the researchers treated various euro coins and banknotes with virus solutions of different concentrations and over
several days observed how long infectious virus was still detectable. A stainless-steel surface served as a control in each case. The results
are reassuring: while infectious virus was still present on the
stainless-steel surface after seven days, on the 10-euro banknote, it
took only three days to completely disappear. For the 10-cent, 1-euro,
and 5- cent coins after six days, two days and one hour, respectively,
no infectious virus was detectable. "The rapid decline on the 5-cent
piece is because it's made of copper, on which viruses are known to be
less stable," explains Daniel Todt.

Artificial skin The research team developed a new method to study how
well the virus is transferred from a surface to the fingertip. They contaminated banknotes, coins and credit-card-like PVC plates with
harmless coronaviruses and, under high- security conditions, also with Sars-Cov-2. These surfaces were then touched, while still wet or when
already dried, by test subjects with their fingertips or, in the case
of Sars-Cov-2, with artificial skin. Cell cultures were then inoculated
with the viruses adhering to the fingertips. This allowed the researchers
to determine the number of transmitted virus particles that were still infectious.

"We saw that immediately after the liquid had dried, there was practically
no transmission of infectious virus," Daniel Todt summarizes. "Under
realistic conditions, infection with Sars-Cov-2 from cash is very
unlikely." Infection via aerosols or droplets This observation is
consistent with findings of other studies that show in the vast majority
of cases, infection occurs via aerosols or droplets. Smear infections via surfaces are almost non-existent. The current study was conducted with
the alpha variant of Sars-Cov-2 in addition to the wild-type variant. "We assume that other variants, such as the currently predominant delta
variant, also behave similarly," Eike Steinmann explains. The shelf life
of the virus variants studied so far has not differed from that of the
original virus.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Ruhr-University_Bochum. Original
written by Meike Driessen. Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Daniel Todt, Toni Luise Meister, Barbora Tamele, John Howes, Dajana
Paulmann, Britta Becker, Florian H. Brill, Mark Wind, Jack Schijven,
Natalie Heinen, Volker Kinast, Baxolele Mhlekude, Christine
Goffinet, Adalbert Krawczyk, Jo"rg Steinmann, Stephanie Pfaender,
Yannick Bru"ggemann, Eike Steinmann. A realistic transfer method
reveals low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via contaminated euro
coins and banknotes.

iScience, 2021; 102908 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102908 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210729122040.htm

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