The experts, President for Bankers Association of Malawi Kwanele Ngwenya and Centre for Financial Inclusion and Literacy Consultancy Managing Director Abel Mwenibanda agree that people can stay away from the deadly virus if they avoid congestion in banking halls and contact through transacting in bank notes.

Ngwenya therefore encourages people to use digital financial services such as electronic money transfers and mobile money among others.

“As banks we have invested in a lot of system, such as ATMs e-wallet and agent banking which have not be fully used by clients. With this development we encourage our clients to utilize the technology to avoid congesting banking halls," said Ngwenya.

He also asked banks to encourage hand washing by providing water and soap to clients who still would want to use bank halls and also ensure they keep a social distance between bank users.

Centre for Financial Inclusion and Literacy Consultancy Managing Director Abel Mwenibanda concurs with Ngwenya on use of digital financial services.

He, however, implored on financial institutions to consider waving digital transaction charges to allow more people use the services, adding other countries like Kenya have done the same and Malawi should emulate.

“It’s very important as we are taking that direction to consider reducing the transaction charges which are exorbitant,” he said.

On his part social commentators Chrispine Bokho has advised Malawians to uphold hygiene such to make hand washing a habit.

“The challenge that we have as a country is that washing hands is not our thing, we only do so when there are outbreaks like cholera and others. I wish Malawians took hand washing as a habit, this would help a lot.” Said Bokho.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Covid-19 causes by coronavirus as a pandemic. The disease which spreads through direct contact with droplets of an infected person has so far claimed over 9000 people globally.

Despite that no case has been recorded in the country, President Peter Mutharika on Friday has imposed a 30 day restriction on public gatherings of not more than 100 people and international travels as a preventative measure.