With positive Coronavirus cases crossing the 200 mark in India and COVID-19 invading more states, the Indian Banks Association (IBA) has come out with guidelines to ensure bank employees and account holders stay protected against the highly-infectious disease.
As the disease gets transmitted from infected persons to healthy persons through human to human transmission, apart from maintaining personal hygiene, it is also very important to maintain social distancing to prevent spreading of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19.
To contain the spreading of the disease, the Central and State governments insist that people should avoid travel unless absolutely necessary and try to work from home.
So, to allow maximum bank employees stay at home to contain spreading of Coronavirus, the IBA wants people to avoid visiting bank branches, unless avoidable, and use online modes to minimise physical contacts with bank employees.
In its safety tips, the IBA has asked account holders to avoid going to bank branches and do online banking from home using internet banking facility, mobile banking solutions etc.
Instead of visiting branches to deposit or transfer money through cash or cheques, the association advises customers to use electronic payment options like – RTGS, NEFT etc.
In order to minimise face-to-face meeting, the IBA has urged people to use digital platforms instead for lending.
To avoid spreading of Coronavirus, the banking association has also advised people to use debit cards and credit cards for payments instead of paying in currency.
In case you pay in currency or visit a bank branch for physical banking, ensure proper hygiene by washing your hands thoroughly with soap for at least 20 seconds, before and after doing so, said the IBA.
So, as a responsible citizen, you should follow the safety tips given by the Indian Banks Association to help the authorities contain spreading of the highly-infectious Coronavirus COVID-19.