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Cash could help spread COVID-19, the coronavirus disease, according to the World Health Organization, so contactless payment is the safer option for now. The WHO says that the virus could stay on money for days after exposure, and people should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after handling cash. Instead, people should use contactless payments whenever possible.
More than 220 patients across the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, and experts warn that a lack of widespread testing could mean the real number of people infected is higher. The disease can spread between people who are up to six feet apart, according to the CDC, and is transmitted through tiny droplets of saliva or mucus.
Here's how to set up Apple Pay and Google Pay, and protect yourself from COVID-19.
To use Apple Pay on an iPhone, open up your wallet app. This is also where gift cards, plane tickets, and other miscellaneous tickets live in your iPhone.
To use Apple Pay, all you need is a debit or credit card connected to your wallet, which you can add through the plus sign at the top right.
Note that Apple now offers its own credit card native to iPhones and easily usable with Apple Pay.
Once your card is set up, paying with Apple Pay is intuitive. Hold the iPhone up the the point of sale terminal, and use Face-ID or a passcode to approve the purchase.
Find more detailed instructions for setting up Apple Pay here.
You can also use Apple Pay on an Apple Watch, once you've set up a card on your phone. It works nearly the same as on the iPhone, and is activated by pressing the side button to bring up the primary card.
Find more detailed instructions for setting up Apple Pay on an Apple Watch here.
Google Pay works very similarly, except you first have to download the app from the Google Play Store.
Add a credit or debit card in the app, and be sure to select "Set up in-store payments."
Find more detailed instructions for setting up Google Pay here.
Apple Pay and Google Pay are available at millions of stores, just look for the contactless symbol, or the Google and Apple symbols.
Apple and Google Pay can also be used on some public transportation. In the US, use it at certain New York MTA stations, and on transit it Portland, Oregon.
The MTA calls the contactless payment "Tap and Go," but you don't actually need to touch your phone to the sensor, which would still facilitate the spread of germs.
Experts also advise not using your phone on the subway to protect it from germs.
