Staff Reporter
Karachi
State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has advised the banks to disinfect, seal and quarantine the cash collected from hospitals and clinics, until further orders. The banks were given credit for all such cash so quarantined and kept on behalf of SBP.
In the meanwhile, central banks’ practices on the matter have been reviewed which indicate that quarantine of cash for 14 days is sufficient to disinfect the banknotes, which can then be put back into circulation.
Similarly, the World Health Organization has also advised that the life of the virus on porous surfaces (such as paper banknotes) is lower, compared to other hard surfaces.
In view of the above, banks are allowed to use the quarantined cash, which have completed quarantine period of fourteen (14) days. All other instructions on the subject shall remain unchanged.
