Govt Staff Find Tracing App Rule 'unnecessary'

Government staff working at the administration's headquarters in Admiralty have told RTHK that they don't understand why there's a need to scan the "LeaveHomeSafe" app, but they will comply with the new rule over worries of "consequences" if they don't.

The government issued an internal memo on Wednesday to all its workers, saying it "strongly encourages" them to use the app to record the dates and times of their visits to the Central Government Offices, to help trace contacts of Covid-19 patients.

RTHK saw on Thursday morning that staff were required to scan the QR code displayed at the entrance and show security guards the record of this on the app before they were allowed in.

A notice at the entrance said security guards would note down which department a staff member is from if he or she could not show the record.

A woman surnamed Tsui said she had privacy concerns, but was worried there would be "consequences" if she did not scan the code.

"I don't think it's useful for the civil servants, I will use another phone to download the app because I don't want [them] to detect my data and my privacy," she told RTHK's Wong Yin-ting.

Another government worker said she found it inconvenient and unnecessary, as she needs to clock in with her staff ID anyway, but she said that as a civil servant, she will follow the advice.

RTHK saw that a man who wanted to hand in documents at the offices was not able to download the app onto his phone. He did not seek help and walked away.

Some civil servants said they welcomed the move, with one saying it was easy to do, and another saying it should be applied to other government premises as well.

In a statement, the government said things were generally smooth on day one of the pilot scheme.

It said phase two of the scheme – covering the Harbour Building, Mong Kok Government Offices and Tuen Mun Government Offices – will begin on February 16.

Officials plan to extend the use of the app to more government buildings and offices in future.

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