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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》Only good hand hygiene needed for red envelopes
\\192.168.5.8\news\ok_retouch_folder\20210211\P01-210211-2a.jpg A woman holds up three types of lucky envelope being offered by the Tainan Shan Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum to those who purchase tickets to the museum between tomorrow and Sunday. Photo: CNA
By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNA
There is no need for excess caution when opening red envelopes, a Central Epidemic Command Center （CECC） official said yesterday, after a Hong Kong infectious disease specialist advised leaving them unopened for two weeks to prevent contact infection.
Referencing an Australian study that the COVID-19 virus can survive on money for up to 28 days, the Apple Daily did an experiment to find out which method of disinfecting money is most effective.
Five of the six methods the newspaper tried — soaking in a 70 percent alcohol solution, plain water and diluted bleach, as well as ironing and ultraviolet light — all successfully decontaminated the bills, the report said yesterday.
While the experiment proved successful, the paper also included advice from an infectious disease specialist suggesting that people wait for two weeks before opening their red envelopes if they are worried about infection.
“The virus does not survive on paper for long, but if an infected person gives a red envelope and they have a high viral load, it can certainly pass through and spread in a short amount of time,” Wilson Lam （林緯遜） told the Apple Daily. “But the chances are low.”
Since the virus gradually dies off after leaving a cell, “people can leave their red envelopes for two weeks before opening them,” he added.
However, a CECC official said that there is no need for Taiwanese to be so cautious.
Taiwan is safe and the virus only remains infectious on surfaces for a few days at most, CECC specialist advisory panel convener Chang Shan-chwen （張上淳） told a news conference.
The virus when on a surface is not as infectious as during the 14-day incubation period, he said, adding that maintaining good hand hygiene is sufficient.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
