The risk of transmission of the virus by cash (notes and coins) is low and has yet to be demonstrated

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

Bank of England

The risk posed by handling a banknote is no greater than touching any other common surface, such as handrails, doorknobs or credit cards.

WHO did NOT say banknotes would transmit COVID-19

The World Health Organization has rejected reports that it warned COVID-19 could be spread through handling cash. WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib said, ‘WHO did NOT say that banknotes would transmit COVID-19, nor have we issued any warnings or statements about this.’

Banknotes and coins have the same chance of transmitting COVID-19 as many other surfaces one encounters during a normal shopping experience, including shopping trolleys, hand rails, lift buttons, keypads, mobile phones and bank cards used to tap and go. Cash poses no greater risk than other forms of payment or many other dry surfaces.

COVID-19 is transmitted through droplets caused by infected people coughing, sneezing or speaking, which can land on other people or common surfaces. You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within one metre of a person who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands.

The best defence against these droplets is to avoid touching your face, sanitise the surfaces of any items that you touch, and regularly wash or sanitise your hands.

This applies equally if you use cash or cash-free methods such as contactless payments. Be sure to also wash your hands after using phones, credit cards, keypads or touchscreens.

Being able to keep using cash during this period is vitally important for many people, particularly disadvantaged people such as those with literacy issues, on low incomes, and without regular access to phone or internet services.

Retailers may unintentionally discriminate against people who prefer to use physical currency and deny customers access to the goods and services they need. Refusing cash could put an unnecessary burden on people who depend on cash as a means of payment.

More information on cash and coronavirus is provided in the links below.

Useful links

No, cash does not carry coronavirus, says WHO, 9 March 2020

Cash poses no particular risk of infection for public, Central Bank of the Federal Republic of Germany, 18 March 2020