“I got it from my wallet?” – or at least what was in it. According to current research there is some possibility, within a relatively short period of time, that a flu virus could be passed from an infected person to a healthy one via common cash/currency. With the current alerts from the World Health Organization and the commonality of international travel it is no wonder that we have a growing fear that perhaps our money could make us sick.

Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes

APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, May 2008, p. 3002–3007 Vol. 74, No. 10 0099-2240/08/$08.00????0 doi:10.1128/AEM.00076-08 Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness.

… read the entire report here thomas_survival-of-influenza-virus-on-banknotes

In some global regions this scenario is being addressed with proactively planned responses, such that confidence can be maintained in carrying out daily activities but also to ensure special measures are engaged that will greatly lessen the likelihood of any transference. The inherent fringe benefit for all of us is that we maintain confidence in our primary form of currency and therefore commerce and the economy are impacted as little as possible. Such a plan exists today in the UK and I for one would like to see similar efforts in many other countries…

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR THE UK CASH INDUSTRY

DURING A PANDEMIC 

15 April 2008

INTRODUCTION 

This voluntary Code of Conduct is to be used by Members of the APACS Cash Services Group (CSG) and other stakeholders in the UK cash industry during a pandemic which could impact the circulation of cash within the UK.  The Code of Conduct was drawn up by Members of CSG and other stakeholders during 2007 to meet a gap in the industry’s response identified following the Tripartite Authorities’ Market Wide Exercise1 on a flu pandemic during 2006.  The Committed Stakeholders that have agreed to use the Code of Conduct are listed at www.apacs.org.uk. Under the Code of Conduct, CSG will act as the coordinating body for cash circulation activities during the period of a pandemic2.  Where necessary it will also act as the industry decision maker during the period of the pandemic; the scope of decision-taking is in section 4.1.  Roles and Responsibilities under the Code of Conduct and trigger points for the pandemic response are shown in section 3. There is a specific Plan for dealing with a pandemic which is set out in a separate document that suggest actions to mitigate the impact on the circulation of cash… read the entire report here apacs-uk-plan-for-cash-management-pandemic

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PRINCIPLES OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT

24 January 2008

INTRODUCTION

The principles the Code of Conduct aspires to achieve are based on the Cabinet Office and Department of Health’s National Framework for Responding to an Influenza Pandemic, November 2007; the strategic objectives set out there have been modified to reflect the probable situation for cash circulation in the UK, and are as follows: … read the entire report here apacs-uk-cash-management-pandemic

There are lessons here to be learned if we are to survive what surely will come when history and mother nature conspire again to maintain balance in a delicate system. In the end simple common sense and cooperation will provide the foundations for the solutions we need. After all, we count on our currency!

APACS (Association for Payment Clearing Services) – Wikipedia

APACS.org

 

Many thanks to a number of contributors and thought provokers (APACS, FRB, BIS, Transoft, Bank of America) for fueling this post. It is a distasteful subject by it’s nature but nonetheless one we must all confront proactively in the event that we need to cope with this grim possibility – dare we say eventuality…