Despite the pandemic, banking is still an important errand that many of us can’t put off. After all, money is essential, especially during these times when we are required to stay home as much as possible and we may rely on-line shopping and delivery services to obtain what we need. Given the need to avoid other people to reduce the risk of infection, it can be challenging when we must carry out our usual errands though, such as banking. Many people do have access to online banking, but not everyone does and there are still a number of bank services that require person-to-person transactions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends we call our bank or set up virtual meetings to discuss what services they can provide remotely. The CDC also indicates in its COVID-19 guidelines for essential errands that we should always opt for routine transactions that do not involve physical interactions, like using drive-through banking services, accessing mobile banking apps and using automated teller machines. In situations where a visit to the bank is still needed, the CDC states that we should wear a cloth face covering, observe social distancing inside the banks and use hand sanitizers after touching things inside the bank or the ATM machine.
Banks are also advised to implement safety measures that would help prevent possible transmissions of COVID-19. The staff should also wear face masks and observe distancing. Plexiglass barriers between staff and clients are also recommended.
Finally, it is essential that we to continue to wash their hands when we get back home or our next destination after leaving the bank. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the hands are the “main pathways of germ transmission.” Hand hygiene is the most powerful tool everyone can use to prevent the transmission of germs like the novel coronavirus. Washing hands with soap and water is the preferred means to practice good hand hygiene. However, cleaning hands with an alcohol-based sanitizers is also allowed since it is faster and can more effective than soap and water, if the hands are not visibly soiled with dirt.
