If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.Automated teller machine (ATM) keypads in New York City hold microbes from human skin, household surfaces, or traces of food, a study by researchers at New York University has found. So, the next time you touch an ATM keypad, you might see Vscan cleaning it before your very eyes. Genemega says it's in talks of working with another ATM manufacturer of a major bank in the United States. Its goal is to reduce your contact with the machine, but you will still need to touch the keypad. Mary Wisniewski from Bankrate says another way of keeping yourself safe when using ATM's is to look for the "contactless symbol." It's where you use a mobile banking app and scan your phone, instead of inserting your debit card. He told "7 On Your Side" in an email, it has unveiled hygiene recommendations:Ĭustomer Guidelines such as Social Distance in the queue, sanitizing the fascia of the ATM, and sanitizing cash before dispensing. Mike Lee is the Chief Executive Officer at the ATM Industry Association. She says research is still being done if UV-C can eradicate COVID-19. "But if the UVC system, you know begins to become less effective, suddenly your bacteria and your virus particles are still living." "The challenge with this is that over time, any type of light ball will degrade," she said. RELATED: Wells Fargo celebrates opening of futuristic bank Professor Armani thinks Vscan could be effective, but its efficiency should be monitored over time. "Manufacturers are responsible for producing products that do not emit hazardous and unnecessary radiation."ĭunn says the manufacturer is following FDA guidelines, and is awaiting approval. The Food and Drug Administration told "7 On Your Side" in an e-mail:
#ATM KEYPAD FULL#
"Because UV-C is potentially harmful to the skin, to the eyes etc., so we went to great lengths to find out what can we do to use UV-C to make sure that it's sanitized, but that the cardholders safe," Dunn said.ĭunn says Genmega developed safety mechanisms in Vscan to keep the consumer safe from exposure to the radiation.Īnd he says the device would stop scanning if it senses something in its path.Īpp users: For a better experience, click here to view the full map in a new window So, is it safe for you to be around UV-C light? She says UV-C has been used as a disinfectant to clean air and water supplies. RELATED: Can UVC light be used to disinfect surfaces affected by COVID contamination? Expert explains In a previous interview with ABC7, Professor Armani says UV-C light differs from ultra-violet's A and B by using radiation versus thermal treatment, but all can harm human skin. "UV-C kills bacteria and viruses by disrupting the fundamental RNA and DNA of bacteria and viruses, which then inhibits the bacteria and viruses from replicating," she said. He says it can kill up to 99 percent of viruses and bacteria using Ultraviolet-C light.Įnter your personal identification number, then conduct your transaction.įinally, take back your card, then Vscan disinfects the keypad in a single pass.Īndrea Armani, is a professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Southern California. "The main thing for us was instilling consumer confidence and making sure that the person at that ATM knows that it's sanitized," said Wes Dunn who is the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Genmega.
It created Vscan, a device that sanitizes ATM keypads. Genmega is an ATM manufacturer which recently moved its headquarters from Hayward to Dallas, Texas. RELATED: Many Bay Area banks temporarily closed, impacting customers due to COVID-19 So, can you trust touching those keypads? With some Bay Area banks temporarily closed, customers might have chosen to conduct their transaction at the ATM.
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