'No Need To Add Real-name Registration To Covid App'

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong on Thursday said the authorities have no immediate plans to add a real-name registration function to its LeaveHomeSafe app.

His comments come after health minister Lo Chung-mau earlier proposed adding various functions to the Covid-19 risk exposure app, including a colour-coded system for infected people and incoming travellers, along with a real-name registration function.

But Sun said the app is already effectively linked to the identities of its users already.

“LeaveHomeSafe is tied to vaccination records,” he told reporters. “So it already has the partial function of a real-name system. Right now we have no plans to further strengthen this function, and it’s not possible to add any automatic tracking function.”

The minister further noted that a real-name registration system for all SIM cards would see the end of ‘burner phones’ by February next year anyway.

Sun said the authorities are now focusing on adding users’ PCR test records to the LeaveHomeSafe app to strengthen the administration’s ability to combat Covid-19.

"PCR test results will be very important for infection control,” he said.

“Currently, our LeaveHomeSafe app has no any indicator about this important result. Therefore, we are working into the direction of the LeaveHomeSafe app to show the PCR results for identifying the confirmed cases. I think this is very important. It is beneficial to the community as a whole," Sun stressed.