Yes, You Can Catch Swine Flu From Money

When it comes to eliminating cash money, the H1N1 virus is about to finish what CitiBank began. The New York Times excellent health writer Tara Parker-Pope reports on a story in SmartMoney that reports on a study (talk about viral activity) conducted at Switzerland’s Central Laboratory of Virology at the
University Hospitals of Geneva, where researchers placed flu virus on ever neutral Swiss franc notes. They also  placed flu virus mixed with nasal secretions from
children on banknotes —and, Parker-Pope reports, they saw some unexpected results.
When protected by human mucus, Parker quotes from SmartMoney, the flu cells were much hardier, lasting up to 17 days on the franc notes. One researcher told SmartMoney that samples of an influenza A strain
called H1N1 also endured for up to 10
days. That bug was similar but not identical to the virus at the center
of the current swine flu outbreak, which is considered a new strain of
H1N1.
You get the picture. Now will that be cash or credit?
Read more from Tara Parker-Pope.