In 2015, Quartz published an article titled “Those rupee notes in your hand are dirty—and deadly”. The article cited a study done by scientists at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). Here’s a snippet:

“Our analysis revealed the genetic material on the Indian currency notes roughly has Eukaryotic species such as fungi (70%), bacterial populations (9%) and viruses (<1%),” S Ramachandran, principal scientist and one of the study’s authors, said in an email. “We identified 78 pathogens including Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis.” Staphylococcus aureus can cause skin boils, sinusitis, and food poisoning. And Enterococcus faecalis are sometimes found in teeth after root-canal treatments and can cause life-threatening infections.”

So, in short, those notes and coins you have in your pocket are deadly and harmful to your health. Meaning, it’s important that you handle them correctly. And most importantly, ensure your kids are handling them correctly.

How?

Here are some very basic measures that will take you a long way:

 Don’t hold the coin/note in your hand for too long.

 Wash your hand with water after you have touched them.

 Keep a hand sanitizer handy.

 DO NOT take these notes and coins anywhere close to your mouth. (Some people have a bad habit of taking them in the mouth!)

 Avoid its external touch with any part of your body unnecessarily and accidently.

 Keep them in your pant pockets and not shirt’s.

 Don’t accept dirty notes.

 Start using your cards. Go cashless.

These are a few basic steps to keep safe from dirty notes and coins. Good luck!