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The coronavirus pandemic has spread to many aspects of life.
But one of its early and unexpected impacts seems to be on cash — or, more specifically, cash transactions.
Though it does not reference cash specifically, Department of Health advice says the COVID-19 virus can spread through "touching objects that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person" on them.
So when managers of The Knox cafe, in suburban Canberra, met to discuss how to protect staff and improve hygiene, refusing coins and banknotes was one of their first decisions.
"We've stopped using keep cups and we've stopped cash transactions," front-of-house manager Madeleine Clarke said.
"Our boss wants us to minimise hand-to-hand interactions and, obviously, cash carries a lot of germs."
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-20/ … a/12065860
The NSW Government has also recently reminded businesses of the dangers of handling cash and, if it was required, suggested they use hand sanitisers.
There is a widespread belief that if you give a business "legal tender" — official Australian coins or banknotes — they must accept it as payment.
However, that is not what the law says. In fact, the Currency Act limits the buyer's rights to use physical money in certain situations.
For example, if you use silver coins (5c, 10c, 20c or 50c pieces) for a purchase worth more than $5, the seller can say no. Similarly, $2 coins only give you the right to buy a $20 good or service.
"So while coronavirus may be making us loathe to actually touch cash, it will be many years, if ever, before Australia's banknotes are killed off."
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"Our boss wants us to minimise hand-to-hand interactions and, obviously, cash carries a lot of germs."
No less than those filthy debit cards. And I even hate to think how many
germs are in those shop payment terminals that everyone have typed their PIN code with their crummy little fingers with glee ...
Yuck!
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"...The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable...up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel..."
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A cashless society only means our governments can control us completely. And that's their aim.
If our health was their concern they'd have closed borders in late January, or tell us that the reason behind the situation is Italy is the large numbers of Chinese workers in the North.
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this damn virus is a biological weapon. Hate.
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