Bankers' Association of Negros Oriental Advises Local Banks Shorten Banking Hours

Bankers' Association of Negros Oriental issued a board resolution advising local banks to shorten banking hours due to an increasing number of banking officers and employees being confirmed COVID. Information comes from a trusted person privy to these matters.

Call ahead if your presence is absolutely necessary at the bank or use online services.

Like the rest of the community the Central Bank, Public and Rural Banks are increasingly being deluged with officers and employees testing positive for covid.

This is serious and even those who have been vaccinated are not 100% immune.

shakey

 

Shortened hours will mean bigger crowds ... yeah, that's a great idea.

 

You are correct, of course. But I think this is a staffing issue. My asawa holds all our bank accounts (trusting, am I not!) and she never goes into a bank. How much is now possible online? Using ATMs, with their rapid re-use by the next inline, is an issue and carrying ethyl alcohol to spray hands after using an ATM is important (I'm not specifically advising you of this as I know you are well aware).

 

I like to go places early in the morning before the crowds. For the most part the virus cannot survive overnight on a surface. I also do not like standing in a line (queue).

 

Shortened hours are meant to reduce exposure for banking employees and officers from "COVID Herd Contagion" Most all customers are unvaccinated and untested.

Banks like food stores and the markets are vital industries necessary for mankind rich or poor to survive.

It drives my wife crazy thinking a customer or fellow worker will infect her and bring it home to me, an elderly, infirmly compromised husband quarantined due to age.

shakey

 

Banks are not required by Central Bank to sanitize money they dispense anymore. Used bills and coins you receive have been through many hands.

shakey

 

The virus does not last very long on its own. Any money that has sat overnight should be considered safe. No need for the banks to sanitize it.

 

Perhaps this was not intended as a direct comment on my posting - but I was thinking more of the keypads getting contaminated, plus the card slot. An issues not only for the SARS virus or for this mode of transfer - we must go through a lot of other people's excretions in a week!

 

In that situation (of your health), there are things you can do (which you probably do anyway) to reduce the chances. Many are obvious (but if I leave them out I will have them quoted at me!): 1) Your wife wears a mask always when out and takes great care when removing it to eat/drink (just keep away from other people); 2) You wear a mask when she initially comes into the house; 3) She puts her handbag and any other accessories (plus shoes if re-using) in a plastic bag and leaves it where she can pick it up the next time she leaves; 4) She goes straight to the CR and showers - FIRST putting her used clothes in a plastic bag and leaving them for say 3 days to be sure (obviously she could wash them immediately if she prefers) 4) She moves the bags if necessary using something other than her hands (or washes her hands immediately afterwards - also washing the faucet handle at first); 5) She cleans her teeth and rinses her mouth (Listerine or similar or DILUTED hydrogen peroxide or fairly strong salt solution ... I have no evidence for any of these but they seem appropriate).

Obviously this is all based on breaking the chain and there may be issues I have not covered. The main principle is that anything she brings in from outside is treated as suspect - including herself! Nothing inside the house should be touched until she has made herself more bio-secure. Anything she has to touch prior to showering (e.g. door handles) should be treated with alcohol spray. You should have no contact until she has made herself more bio-secure.