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Opinion | Health code system must be a precursor to ending all Covid-19 measures in Hong Kong, not a way to drag them out
- For the proposed ‘traffic light’ feature on the Leave Home Safe app to be worthwhile, it must gradually replace the quarantine, testing and mask mandates. If it is simply another layer of control, forget it
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In the past few days, there has been some welcome clarification of just what is and is not included in the proposed “traffic light” addition to the Leave Home Safe app for controlling the spread of Covid-19.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has confirmed that any change to the software will only be for public health reasons. This was an essential assurance. Ultimately, minimising the spread of the virus depends on cooperation of the community. The slightest whiff of the change being used to smuggle in extra objectives would have forfeited the required goodwill.
But there remain some areas where further detail is needed. Based on my personal experience, I hope we can have some assurances that there will be substantial improvements to the government’s IT infrastructure.
When I contracted Covid-19 last month, my first 20 attempts to register on the official website from my home computer failed, apparently on the grounds that I had misreported my ID card number. I do not pretend to be adept at technology but this is one of the few areas where I am confident of my knowledge.
Moreover, the nurse at the Covid-19 clinic, well versed in such matters, also struggled to complete the registration using my phone. Only at the fifth attempt was she successful.
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