Currency during a pandemic ...

[JohnKent]

I do all the shopping and I buy loads of stuff from abroad, so I am quite aware of the diminishing value of the pound !. The end result is that I have little faith in the long term value of holding my 'wealth' in pounds and pence which can only reduce in value while they sit in the bank. So it occurred to me I needed to look for an alternative form of 'currency', which would do the opposite and increase in value as the situation gets worse. OK I have done that and in the process solved the question of what happens to money in a pandemic.

It has been proven that the various strains of birdflu virus can remain live on surfaces for up to two months depending upon the level of humidity. Now just imagine that if you were allowed to visit supermarkets and shops ... the most handled, coughed and sneezed upon items that will pass from hand to hand is going to be money !. All that lovely paper money that can absorb other peoples airbourne virus droplets (remember the six foot sneeze?), store it and then keep it nice and safe until you get it as change, which is where you get more back than you bargained for.

I had to smile the other day when someone suggested that there are hand wipes that kill 99% of all known germs .... except none of them have been tested on the worlds most deadly and virilent virus ... simply because the virus has not reached the ultimate mutation ... yet. It was interesting to note that during the last birdflu pandemic scare, There was only a single disinfectant recommended by DEFRA to combat H5N1 and that was Virkon ... if you can find it !. (The 10% bleach and Virkon you can get from Scatts, but remember the contaminated object needs at least a 20 minute immersion to kill the virus).

Well, if things develop the way I expect them to, you won't have to worry about virus contaminated money. What you could think about is how you can convert whatever de-valuing 'currency' you now use, into something tangible that will increase in value over the short and long term. No, it is not gold, silver, or tins of beans, but hidden away at the back of your mind is an answer that is peculiar to you. What can you legally buy right now and sell for four times the price tomorrow ?. Whatever it is, don't tell anyone about it, just do it !.