Disinfect currencies, wholesale notes, CBB tells money changers

TDT | Manama

The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has instructed Money Changers to disinfect all incoming currency notes and wholesale imported notes to limit the risk of exposure to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Money Changers are required to employ Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation (UVGI) devices or isolation of incoming currency and wholesale imported notes for 72 hours to disinfect them.

Money Changers Licensees are also required to equip employees with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as per recommendations outlined by the Ministry of Health. In a similar move, the central bank earlier said it was deep cleaning all its currencies and destroying potentially infected cash in a bid to prevent Covid-19 spread.

The top bank said it will use ultraviolet devices and will isolate banknotes received by banks for 72 hours. Other measures announced earlier included destroying the five, one and half-dinar denominations deposited by banks citing high chances that they might have come from high-risk infection areas.

Instructions were also given to money transfer companies here to wear protective gloves during daily withdrawals and deposits. A spokesman of the World Health Organisation has earlier said that since money changes hands frequently, it could pick up all sorts of bacteria and viruses and things like that. “We would advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes, and avoid touching their face. ... When possible, it’s a good idea to use contactless payments.”