Contact-Tracing App Put to the Test

The contact-tracing app has not allayed fears of govt snooping

Since Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee's announcement Wednesday that from February 18 people will need to use the LeaveHomeSafe app to enter restaurants and other venues that were previously shut, the app has been downloaded 500,000 times, up from 55,000 from yesterday.

People must use the app from February 18

Probably related is that cheap mobile phones have been snapped up just to use this app. The cheapest phone is the Nokia C2 that costs HK$698, but it's sold out in both Fortress and Broadway. A slew of people must have purchased the phone yesterday as it's not a very popular model.

Although there is no need to register, but just download the app, there were concerns it would allow the government to mine more information about the user, such as access to photos, and wifi connections, which the authorities have said are blocked, but to be absolutely safe, people purchased a second phone.

It will be interesting to see if the contact tracing app really is helpful because so far health officials admit it has not been very effective mostly because people are not using it.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said Thursday even though people have downloaded the app, they don't necessarily use it.

Dr Chuang (left) says many don't use the app

"We always ask if the patients used the app. If they did, we'll get the data from their apps about where they have been at what time. The app would notify other users if they have been to the same places at the same time. We've done this less than 20 times," she said. "Many people who have downloaded the app on their mobile phones didn't use it." 

So from next Thursday there may be a surge in use of the app -- will the government's servers be able to handle the onslaught? 

The LeaveHomeSafe app allows users to scan a government-issued QR code at 70,000 places from wet markets to shops, restaurants and even parks. The person scans the code when they walk into the premises and then click the "leave" button when exiting.

The app can be used in taxis

In taxis, users can scan the taxi registration mark or manually input the registration mark. 

The concept is that if someone else is found to be infected and was at the same place and time as you, an alert will be made on the phone and send you some healthcare advice.

The government claims the records of a person's whereabouts are encrypted and only held in the phone for 31 days.

So we shall see if this LeaveHomeSafe app really works next week...