The coronavirus is spread mainly through respiratory droplets between people.

There is little evidence to suggest that currency notes and coins could be carriers of the virus (Amid Covid-19, time to ramp up cashless drive, by Mr Ben Chen; and Push from Govt, banks needed for e-payments to take off, by Ms Adelyn Poh, April 3).

Governments worldwide are telling their citizens to stay at home and to practise social distancing. They are not telling citizens to go cashless.

The market must decide on its medium of exchange. The role of a government is to regulate to ensure stability and prevent huge price swings.

As it is, the Singapore Government allows the market to decide how it wants to do its transactions. That is a good practice.

Traders - and consumers - can choose one or more options according to their operational costs and how their businesses are run.

It took a few hundred years for the medium of exchange to evolve from tally sticks to gold and silver coins, then to paper and polymer notes.

This is not a matter to be rushed by way of Bills tabled in Parliament. Society needs time to adjust.

There are people who are not as savvy on how e-payment works. It is necessary to take them into consideration.

As it is, we can use cash or go cashless. This is the kind of society we want to build on.

Lau Yeow Sin