现在大多数人用借记卡或信用卡付账单和购物。而且，通常情况下，卡是通过机器运行的，因此只有持卡人才能触摸到它。这是一个便捷的系统，既快速又简单，无需计算零钱，也无需在交易后将钱重新分类放回钱包。
But this one-sided payment system also cuts out another aspect of money handling that many people may be unaware of. Skipping cash transactions means that shoppers are no longer exposed to the various substances that contaminate most money, including DNA from both humans and their pets, traces of food, and even remnants of illicit drugs. One 2017 study found that money carries a wide range of bacteria and may actually serve as one way that disease can spread from person to person.
但是这种单边的支付系统也消除了许多人可能不知道的货币处理的另一个方面。跳过现金交易意味着购物者不再接触那些污染大多数货币的各种物质，包括人和宠物的 DNA，食物的痕迹，甚至非法药物的残留物。2017年的一项研究发现，金钱携带的细菌种类繁多，实际上可能是疾病在人与人之间传播的一种方式。
A few years before the 2017 study, another group of researchers looked at the bacteria on money and its potential to spread disease through populations. Their findings were published in a 2014 issue of "Future Microbiology". They found that in addition to a variety of substances, money is often contaminated with several dangerous bacterial strains including staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, and several forms of salmonella. ANd, sadly, cash exchange can in fact spread the bacteria from person to person.
在2017年研究之前的几年，另一组研究人员研究了金钱上的细菌及其在人群中传播疾病的可能性。他们的研究结果发表在2014年的《未来微生物学》上。研究发现，除了各种物质外，货币还经常被几种危险的细菌菌株污染，包括金黄色葡萄球菌、大肠杆菌和几种形式的沙门氏菌。而且，可悲的是，现金交换实际上可以在人与人之间传播细菌。
The report was issued long before the age of COVID-19, but FEMA has addressed the role of cash in the spread of the virus. COVID-19 cannot be absorbed through the skin and FEMA states there is no conclusive evidence that cash can transmit the disease. There are, however, contact-free and low-contact options that the organization lists as best practices to reduce any potential contamination. And, given what lurks on physical money, these practices might be useful outside of pandemic situations.
该报告早在新冠病毒之前就发布了，但联邦应急管理局已经解决了现金在病毒传播中的作用。新冠病毒不能通过皮肤吸收，联邦应急管理局表示，没有确凿证据表明现金可以传播该疾病。然而，该组织将无接触和低接触选项列为减少任何潜在污染的最佳实践。而且，考虑到物质财富的潜在价值，这些做法可能在疫情之外有用。
