People reacted to the post with one writing: "Actually that is awesome" while another said: "That's a great idea and you don't need hand sanitiser."
The alternative greeting comes after health experts, including Dr Sylvie Briand, director of the Department of Pandemic and Epidemic diseases at the World Health Organisation (WHO), have urged people to greet others in different ways.
On Twitter, she shared handshake alternatives including the "wave", the Thai "wai" and the "elbow".
In New Zealand, John Whaanga, the Health Ministry's deputy director-general for Māori health told Waatea News that Māori and iwi organisations are starting to talk about customary practices — including the hongi.
"If we were going to have a change in practice it's not just about the hongi. In Australia, you now have people going around recommending they should stop the practice of shaking hands.
"So I'm quick to point it won't potentially have an impact just on some of our cultural practices but some of the practices that are much more general such as shaking hands, but we're not at that stage yet," Whaanga said.
Some New Zealand universities have opted not to greet newcomers with a hongi at powhiri this year according to Stuff.
In Switzerland, health minister Alain Berset advised for people not to use the popular greeting where people kiss each other on both cheeks.
"We know that keeping one's distance socially is the best way to slow the spread of the virus. That is why renouncing greeting kisses is a measure that should be seriously taken into consideration," she told newspaper outlet SonntagsZeitung.
In addition to avoiding contact with people who may be sick, the Ministry of Health said good hygiene, regularly washing and thoroughly drying your hands, and other simple steps can help stop the spread of coronavirus.
