Cash or card?

yes cash, especially coinage  is basically a disease spreader. Have u ever put coins in your mouth !

Greetings, Sir.  In addition to the good points as said by others here so far... as you mention the "pandemic", there is the additional thing about some big stores only preferring CARD because it involves a lot less "physical contact"; that is to say, Cash is 'handled' a lot by a lot of Persons, and so some of them are now saying that 'Card is safer'. 

Small / Independent places that always preferred Cash will likely still take Cash. Where I am, the KFC takes both Cash and Card. 'Holland And Barrett' immediately refused Cash as soon as the first "lockdown" began. Local Takeaways always & still preferred Cash.

...But as I say, what is written so far on this Thread is good, I just offer a little different thingy for You. Good Fortune to All!

In the brave new world, any dissenters will be electronically turned off.    No access to finance means no access to transport or food and via smart meters, no electricity.

There is an article about this kind of thing on the BBC website today.  "Covid: Cash refusal 'creeping into UK economy'":

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55717933

KFC are large enough to wrangle their way out of paying taxes at a government level, smaller concerns have to do it the old fashioned way.

Governments want to ban cash - electronic payments can be monitored and controlled.

In the past, there was a significant cost involved to taking a card payment for small businesses.

These days, the cost is small, much less than two per cent, and also there is very little set up charge (some card readers available for less than £20 and receipts can be sent to the purchaser by email or a printer is available for another £30) in providing card readers, so little cost that even buskers and Big Issue sellers sometimes take card payments.  There is also cost involved in taking cash to a bank and counting and bagging it, plus security.  Taking a card involves none of these, it goes straight to a bank and accontancy is far simpler and cheaper than keeping manual records of all payments, plus no errors in providing change and giving change for a £20 note when someone paid with a fiver.

I suspect in some cases businesses are run with cash only as it is less accountable.  Easier to pocket a few pounds now and again without going through the books. It may also be slightly faster at point of sale, although this is often not the case with people searching for their money and giving change.

Some businesses may not be aware of how easy it is to take cards these days.  I know if I was running any type of business I would welcome card payments.  Security is far easier,