tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
iScience
. 2021 Jul 26;102908.
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102908. Online ahead of print.
A realistic transfer method reveals low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via contaminated euro coins and banknotes
Daniel Todt[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Toni Luise Meister[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Barbora Tamele[SUP] 3 [/SUP], John Howes[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dajana Paulmann[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Britta Becker[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Florian H Brill[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mark Wind[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jack Schijven[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Natalie Heinen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Volker Kinast[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Baxolele Mhlekude[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Christine Goffinet[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Adalbert Krawczyk[SUP] 10 11 [/SUP], Jörg Steinmann[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Stephanie Pfaender[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yannick Brüggemann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eike Steinmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
The current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created a significant threat to global health. While respiratory aerosols or droplets are considered as the main route of human-to-human transmission, secretions expelled by infected individuals can also contaminate surfaces and objects, potentially creating the risk of fomite-based transmission. Consequently, frequently touched objects such as paper currency and coins have been suspected as potential transmission vehicle. To assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by banknotes and coins, we examined the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and bovine coronavirus (BCoV), as surrogate with lower biosafety restrictions, on these different means of payment and developed a touch transfer method to examine transfer efficiency from contaminated surfaces to fingertips. Although we observed prolonged virus stability, our results indicate that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via contaminated coins and banknotes is unlikely and requires high viral loads and a timely order of specific events.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; banknotes; coins; fingertips; stability.
. 2021 Jul 26;102908.
doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102908. Online ahead of print.
A realistic transfer method reveals low risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via contaminated euro coins and banknotes
Daniel Todt[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP], Toni Luise Meister[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Barbora Tamele[SUP] 3 [/SUP], John Howes[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dajana Paulmann[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Britta Becker[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Florian H Brill[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Mark Wind[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Jack Schijven[SUP] 6 7 [/SUP], Natalie Heinen[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Volker Kinast[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Baxolele Mhlekude[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Christine Goffinet[SUP] 8 9 [/SUP], Adalbert Krawczyk[SUP] 10 11 [/SUP], Jörg Steinmann[SUP] 12 13 [/SUP], Stephanie Pfaender[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Yannick Brüggemann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eike Steinmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34337354
- PMCID: PMC8312053
- DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102908
Abstract
The current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created a significant threat to global health. While respiratory aerosols or droplets are considered as the main route of human-to-human transmission, secretions expelled by infected individuals can also contaminate surfaces and objects, potentially creating the risk of fomite-based transmission. Consequently, frequently touched objects such as paper currency and coins have been suspected as potential transmission vehicle. To assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by banknotes and coins, we examined the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and bovine coronavirus (BCoV), as surrogate with lower biosafety restrictions, on these different means of payment and developed a touch transfer method to examine transfer efficiency from contaminated surfaces to fingertips. Although we observed prolonged virus stability, our results indicate that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via contaminated coins and banknotes is unlikely and requires high viral loads and a timely order of specific events.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; banknotes; coins; fingertips; stability.