Vendors selling face masks in Blantyre have expressed worries on the decision the presidential Task Force has decided on Covid-19 to stop the compulsory of wearing facemasks in public places as a preventative measure.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, who is the co-chairperson of the task force, made clear that the wearing of face masks is by choice, people can be moving around without face masks and limitation of number of people gathering for both indoor and outdoor functions.

She said the easing of restrictive measures against the Covid-19 pandemic follows a drop in new infections and death.

Sangwani Mphadwe, one of the vendors, said the business of selling face masks really helped him different ways including paying school fees for my little sister, so the decision of easing the restrictions has basically means he is jobless.

He said: “For a year now the business has been helping me feed my family.”

Another vendor John Christopher, who plies his trade at Chichiri Shopping Centre in Blantyre, said he has no idea what he will do next.

As of Monday, Malawi has recorded 88 046 positive cases and 2 682 deaths. For the past two months, the country has been recording an average of a single positive case a day.