There is no significant risk of catching Covid-19 from euro banknotes, the European Central Bank said, citing lab tests that showed the germs survived far longer on other surfaces, according to AFP.

In a blog post, ECB executive board member Fabio Panetta said tests by European labs showed that the survival rate of coronaviruses is “10 to 100 higher” on a stainless steel surface than on euro banknotes in the first few hours after contamination.

“Other analyses indicate that it is much more difficult for a virus to be transferred from porous surfaces such as cotton banknotes than from smooth surfaces like plastic,” Panetta said.

Euro notes are printed on pure cotton fibre paper, which helps make them resistant to wear and tear.