Driving the news: The coronavirus has made us scared to touch anything, and there’s a perception that money is dirty and payment terminals carry germs.

ATM use is down 32%, according to Visa, and 63% of consumers say they’re using less cash.

In places like South Korea, bank notes have been disinfected and placed in quarantine.

The decline of cash has been particularly pronounced in the U.K., where an article in the Telegraph quoted a W.H.O. official advising people to wash their hands after touching currency.