Hong Kong Health Code Coming Soon

HK will soon launch its health code app for crossing the border

Hong Kong businesses are pushing the government to release the new Covid-19 tracing app so that users can go across the border to China as early as the end of December. However, potential users are concerned about what kind of information the authorities will retain.

Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu revealed on Thursday that for residents to qualify for the scheme, they would have to use the Hong Kong Health Code app, which would log a user's name, infection status, and after they cross the border, their whereabouts on the mainland.

Lee says the app to only track movement in China

The Innovation and Technology Bureau will reveal more details next week about the app, which is in the final stages of testing.

It has been reported that quarantine-free travel will be limited to Guangdong province initially.

While the new app will not log users' whereabouts in Hong Kong, their movements will be tracked after they cross the border and the data links up with the mainland's health code app.

The new local software will also be tied to the government's existing risk-exposure notification Leave Home Safe app, which has raised privacy concerns among local residents despite repeated assurances from the authorities that it does not collect personal data or travel history.

While some Hong Kong residents are anxious to go to the mainland for business, they have reservations about the upcoming app.

Initially HK people can only go to Guangdong

"It will be reasonable if details related to Covid-19 are required, for example, which hotel I stay in China, which restaurant I go to and where I have been to," said Hilton Law Yiu-chung, CEO of a software developer.

"I hope they will not require information on my personal contacts, like my folks and friends."

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said residents should not worry too much about the new app.

"Users can be rest assured that the Hong Kong Health Code app won't track down their whereabouts in Hong Kong because they will transit to the mainland's health code app upon arrival at the other side of the border."

But would the health code app immediately switch back to the Hong Kong one as soon as one returns to the city, or would it continue tracking people?

Tien says app may launch in early February

Unless someone used a burner phone it's hard to be reassured that it's so simple.

Tien added that he expected the scheme to launch after Chinese New Year at the start of February, given the lack of official consensus on several issues.

Or both sides could continue discussing well until after the Olympics is over before anything starts...

Smartphones Crowd Taxi Dashboards

This driver uses a lot of devices to hustle for customers daily

 

When you get into a taxi, does the driver have more than one mobile phone attached to the dashboard?

A colleague who hails cabs often will document the drivers' dashboard as well as the decorations by taking pictures and posting them on social media.

Cabbies claim they need at least four phones to be able to do their job efficiently and pull in as much as HK$40,000 (US$6,940) a month; without them they would make 40 percent less.

Taxi licenses are expensive and fares are cheap

One driver explained to a media outlet that he needed four smartphones and a tablet. The tablet is for picking up orders from several taxi apps, and two phones serve as walkie-talkies to communicate with other drivers for traffic information, road conditions, passenger hotspots and to refer orders. 

A third phone is to receive orders from Uber and the last one is his GPS device to check Uber hotspots when prices are surging.

"I don't want to waste my time looking for passengers on the streets or waiting at taxi ranks. All these tools help me manage my orders efficiently so I can seamlessly pick up passengers one after another," he said.

But now the government is considering limiting the number of devices on their dashboards. 

Transport minister Frank Chan Fan told the Legislative Council last month that the Transport Department was looking into regulating the number and location of mobile phones in vehicles, as well as the modes and purposes of their use.

Chan may regulate the number of devices in taxis

A law passed in 2000 stipulates drivers are prohibited from holding mobile phones in their hands or between their head and shoulders while the vehicle is moving. 

 However, the law does not cover reading information from a phone placed on the dashboard, or pressing the phone or swiping the screen as long as it is not in the driver's grip.

Transport sector lawmaker Frankie Yick Chi-ming pointed out the government pledged to study the issue in 2014 but nothing was done.

"This issue of taxi drivers placing too many smartphones on the dashboard has been going on for a long time. In an extreme case, one driver was found to have 13 devices," he said. "Some cabbies even use larger-sized tablets, which block their view of the road and affect their ability to drive safely."

He said they should be limited to two smartphones -- one for GPS and the other for communication.

But cab drivers say they are careful while driving and need many devices to be able to get as many fares as possible through car-hailing apps.

Old and new phones in this taxi

The real crux of the problem is reforming the taxi system in Hong Kong which has become too complicated, too old and too expensive. The taxi licences are worth HK$7 million a piece, the cars are 30 years old, the drivers average 70 years of age, and fares are very cheap.

So a driver needs to catch as much business as he can, and if a car-hailing app helps him find customers, he will use it. Government officials are so out of touch with the situation and have let the problem fester for so long that no one wants to fix it. The taxi system in Hong Kong needs a complete overhaul, but who is willing to tackle it?

The next best thing? Limit the number of devices on their dashboards...

Lack of Trust in Government-tracing App

Restaurants saw a modest increase in business with dinner on

 

Now that people can eat dinner in restaurants until 10pm, many dining establishments are reporting an increase in business, from 10 percent to as high as 40 percent, but there are still many reticent to dine in because they would have to either scan the LeaveHomeSafe app to record where they have been, or write down their name and phone number for contact tracing.

Patrons must scan the app or leave contact details

For some people, the sudden doubling the number of people in a restaurant makes them cautious about dining out, while for others it's the privacy issue. When it was clarified that those ordering takeout did not have to scan the app or leave personal details, then many opted for takeout rather than dine in.

Others didn't seem to mind about scanning the app. There has also been a surge in seniors buying smartphones, as some previously only used old school mobile phones to make calls, but now they felt compelled to buy a smartphone and install the government app in order to dine out.

One restaurant owner who was interviewed observed only 3 or 4 percent of customers used the app, while the rest wrote down contact details. 

"They feel it's [using the app] relatively inconvenient. The main reason is they have privacy concerns," he said.

There have been 1.8M downloads of the app

While the government reports there are 1.8 million downloads of the app, it is not a true reflection of the situation.

There are some who are so paranoid that they plan to download the app, use it once and then delete it, and then download it again when needed.

If there is suddenly over 7 million downloads, then surely something is up.

And there are others who refuse to download the app using their home wifi and would rather do it using public wifi, which is another sign of paranoia.

It is really telling that people would rather write down their name and phone number (if it really is their details) than use the app. This is a serious breakdown in trust between the people and the government, when trust is badly needed right now, during a serious pandemic.

Many refuse to use the app to protest against Lam

It seems people are eager to use this as a way to protest against Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, by making up names and phone numbers on pieces of paper. But if a restaurant really has an infection and needs to inform its customers, aren't these people wasting the staff's time by filling out bogus information when it is critical to do contact tracing?

While the government means well by developing this contact-tracing app, its residents aren't buying into it at all. Lam lost her chance to regain the public's confidence over a year ago and now her goal of zero infections is further out of reach...

Creatively Circumventing the Govt App

Dining in restaurants requires scanning the QR code

 

Finally today's the day! People were so thrilled to have dinner in a restaurant tonight, though others still preferred takeaway. 

Walking along the waterfront tonight I could see Caprice, the three Michelin-starred French restaurant in the Four Seasons Hong Kong had guests seated by the windows, though at the same time by the ferry piers, many people carried plastic bags with their meals inside.

Lam scans the QR code before entering

Some were thrilled to finally go to the gym, another activity to do after having completed several of the hiking trails since November.

Meanwhile electronic shops were doing a brisk business these few days, some selling new phones, others "burner phones", or second-hand ones for people to use just for the LeaveHomeSafe app that must be used starting today if eating in a restaurant, going to the gym, and many other places.

"I'm buying a burner phone because the government clearly doesn't trust Hongkongers, so why would I trust them?" Vincent, 28, an accountant who gave only his first name because of the sensitivity of the issue, told Reuters.

Many had the same sentiment, as people flocked to places like Sham Shui Po to buy cheap electronic equipment.

People flock to Sham Shui Po for cheap phones

"People are just looking for a cheap smartphone that can run the LeaveHomeSafe app," said a vendor surnamed Wong. She reported selling 50 phones in the past week compared to the usual 10 or so the week previously.

Anecdotally a relative reported seeing more people writing down contact details than scanning the QR code, in a protest of fears the government could see their private information from the contact-tracing app on their phones.

Some planned to write their contact details as "Carrie Lam", referring to Hong Kong's chief executive, and then leave a fake phone number.

While this may seem amusing, the government may not take the joke, and may instead enforce people to use the QR code, perhaps with penalties attached, as contact tracing during a pandemic is a serious public health issue.

An employee in Choi Wan Estate was assaulted

And putting the onus on the business to ensure people scan the app isn't going down well -- a McDonald's employee in Choi Wan Estate suffered injuries after he was assaulted by a man in his 20s or 30s with his phone after refusing to use the LeaveHomeSafe app.

Restaurant industry leaders had expressed concerns altercations could happen between employees and guests if they did not comply to either scanning the QR code or writing down their details.

And already the first incident happened on the first day...

 

Green Light for Reopening Some Venues

This afternoon Dr Chan announced loosening of restrictions

 

So it's happening.

The Hong Kong government announced the relaxation of measures starting on Thursday, the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

However there are some odd choices of why certain venues will reopen and others will not.

What will open? 

Theme parks like Ocean Park can reopen

Restaurants can operate until 10pm and have four to a table -- even though in terms of public gatherings are still a maximum of two people. Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said this regulation will be amended to four people soon.

Other places can open, like cinemas, gyms, massage and beauty parlours, concert halls, theme parks, exhibition centres, bowling alleys, skating rinks, and game centres.

But venues that will remain closed are bars, party rooms, bathhouses, karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours, beaches, children's play facilities, barbecue sites and swimming pools.

It boggles the mind how this government decides that for example game centres can open but not swimming pools or beaches. Children can't even play on playgrounds.

When asked about this, Chan didn't have an answer, only to say the government was proceeding with caution, and is being vigilant for any rebound in cases after the Lunar New Year.

"I don't think the next phase of relaxation will be very soon," she replied to a question asking when the other venues may reopen.

Mahjong parlours remain closed

Meanwhile people are rushing to buy an extra phone and sim card to use the LeaveHomeSafe app starting on Thursday when entering premises like restaurants, cinemas, wet markets and gyms.

The salesperson who sold me the sim card said he had already helped several customers with the same request.

I remarked that his company was lucky to get this extra business considering others are still hurting because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Actually we don't really want to do this kind of business -- pandemic business. This app is making people spend more money when they shouldn't have to," he said, adding it was just like the mask-buying situation where the scarcity led to high prices. 

Afterwards I set up the app and tried it out this evening. It's easy to use, scanning a QR code when you enter, then press "leave" when you are leaving, though it prompts two options of "leaving now" or "already left".

Swimming pools must also stay shut

It is hoped the app can help people record their movements in case they themselves are infected, or can alert others if they were in the same place at the same time. In theory it will help speed up contact tracing and it will be interesting to see how quickly people will comply to using it from Thursday.

In the meantime I will continue to walk instead of swim for exercise, though I have die-hard swimming friends who have resorted to open-water swimming these last several months! 

 

Vaccination to Start in March

HKers will have to wait until March for vaccinations to start

Today Hong Kong recorded 12 new coronavirus cases, though health officials said yesterday that the figures were lower these few days perhaps because doctor's offices were closed for the Lunar New Year, and also people don't like to seek medical attention during this period either.

Eu must be quarantined in case of infection

Which is why it's hard to understand why the government already announced a few days ago that restaurants could serve dinner until 10pm and with four guests per table, as well as open other venues like gyms, cinemas and theme parks IF the case numbers continue to be "low", without giving a threshold number. Why not wait two weeks after Chinese New Year to see what the situation is like then?

But hotels, restaurants, beauty parlours, spas and the above-mentioned venues are already preparing to pivot for this coming Thursday when it really is a big IF.

Of the 12 new cases is a hairdresser with RTHK and may have infected 20 people who will be sent to quarantine. One of them is prominent barrister Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, who said she interacted with the hairdresser for about five minutes who did her hair for her appearance in a show called Legco Review.

Unfortunately she was supposed to represent Apple Daily founder and tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in a 10-day trial starting Tuesday, but Eu will be replaced by another senior counsel instead. Lai is accused of participating in an illegal assembly in 2019.

Nip says all 18 districts will have jab centres

Meanwhile the Hong Kong government had said repeatedly that it would start administering vaccine injections after Chinese New Year, but now that won't happen until March.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine would arrive in Hong Kong at the end of February.

"As soon as the vaccine has arrived, we will kick-start the mechanism for appointments," he said, referring to the vaccine booking system.

He said at least 20 centres will adminster the jab in all of Hong Kong's 18 districts.

Nip said they had already done rehearsals to make sure the scheme runs safely and smoothly.

Over 700,000 have downloaded the app to use

Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung wrote on his blog today that the government's goal is the vaccinate most of the population by the end of the year. 

And apparently some 700,000 people have downloaded the LeaveHomeSafe app.  

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...

 

 

Carrot and Stick Approach to Covid-19

Dr Chan announces the loosened measures if cases remain low

 

Late this afternoon there was a big government press conference arranged to announce the latest social-distancing measures.

Diners can eat until 10pm and four to a table

Hard to believe but Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee announced that if -- IF the numbers of coronavirus cases continue to be relatively low (17 today), then starting February 18, restaurants will be allowed to have dinner service until 10pm for four people, and venues like cinemas, gyms, museums, massage parlours, theme parks, bowling and billiard centres, ice rinks and game arcades can re-open!

Some places like eateries may need to install extra ventilation in order to operate longer hours.

It's been months since restaurants have been allowed to serve dinner, resulting in them opening all day until 6pm, and offering takeaway as well, doing whatever they can to survive.

Hotels are offering staycations where guests can have dinner served in their rooms, and the takeaway afternoon tea sets are still going strong. Restaurant staff have been working non-stop, and this weekend is even busier with Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day within days of each other.

Venues like gyms can reopen possibly Feb 18

Chan also said the government will also resume all public services on February 18 too, again depending on the pandemic situation.

So that is the carrot.

The stick is that all staff at these above-mentioned venues will have to be tested every two weeks and all patrons must use the LeaveHomeSafe app. If they don't have a smartphone, then their details need to be written down.

The app was introduced in November and hardly anyone used it, because of rumours that it sucked up personal information for the government to collect. But now if they can dine in a restaurant for dinner, will they be willing to use the app?

Some are even thinking of getting an extra smartphone just for this purpose.

In addition Chan said there would be no more lockdowns until after the holidays -- does the virus really take a break during CNY? She reported nearly 25,000 residents in 200 buildings were tested, yielding 20 infections, which is a positive rate of 0.08 percent.

People must use the LeaveHomeSafe app

However, respiratory medicine specialist Dr Leung Chi-chiu expressed reservations about the plans to relax social-distancing rules, arguing the pandemic had not yet eased enough. He warned that with more gatherings and fewer virus tests carried out over the new year holiday, infections could surge again.

"The number of cases recently has been on a horizontal trend," Leung said. "Given that the existing measures have not been able to ensure the number of infections on a continuously downward trend, once the rules are relaxed, a rebound is possible because of higher risks of transmission."

He said having staff tested every two weeks and customers use the LeaveHomeSafe app would "not be very effective" in controlling the spread, given then delay in cutting transmission chains should a person be found to have the virus.

While a restaurateur interviewed said business may jump 30 to 40 percent if dinner is available, he was concerned that customers may refuse to use the app and so they might have to call the police to settle the matter.

Leung questions not testing during CNY

Meanwhile gym rats are probably elated that they can finally work out again, though for me, I'm still very happy to walk outside, though admittedly I have missed swimming a lot.

Nevertheless, I have to agree with Leung in that there could be a surge in infections after Chinese New Year and that we should wait until early March to lift restrictions if the numbers continue to be low.

Lifting restrictions before CNY is over is a bit premature and reckless on the part of the government. While it is a carrot to lure people into becoming responsible in the next few days, opening up next Thursday is not enough time to see if there is an uptick in cases...

Government U-Turns on CNY Fairs

Flower markets will be open before Chinese New Year

 

Is the Hong Kong government really serious about fighting Covid-19? 

Today it flip-flopped on a decision to cancel the annual New Year fairs because of the pandemic and instead is now allowing to happen -- but at 50 percent capacity.

On January 8 the government announced the fairs would not go ahead, but then this evening -- at a 6.30pm press conference -- Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said they would go ahead in all 15 locations in the city, but with restrictions.

Chan says the fairs will operate at half capacity

There will only be half of the stalls operating and a lottery will be held to see who gets to have these stalls at no charge. Those who had applied for multiple stalls will only be able to have one. 

Interestingly there will be hi-tech crowd control measures in place. Director for food and environmental hygiene Vivian Lai said each fair will be split up into smaller areas and "infrared sensors will be installed at the entrance and exit of each individual enclosed area so that the number of persons could be computed, and if the capacity is exceeded, an alert will be disseminated to the public on site, on a dedicated web page, and through radio [and] television if needed."

A "traffic light" system will be implemented at the fairs to either allow, slow or stop people entering specific zones.

When an area is full, people will have to line up in waiting areas and be socially distanced.

Gone are the politically satirical stalls... for good

This plan sounds completely daft. First of all a large swathe of people won't even bother to attend because the stalls of political parties will not be allowed to operate and thus no sarcastic products will be on sale like last year. 

Second, does the government think people are going to check a website to make sure they can get into the fair? They are either going to go and try to wait patiently, or not go at all because of this bizarre system. Any hi-tech plan the government implements always fails. May I reference you to the January 1, 2020 lucky draw online? It crashed magnificently.

Finally Chan says all flower vendors -- no other vendors, like those selling drinks and snacks -- will be tested before the fair. 

She also encouraged people to download the "Leave Home Safe" app, the government's effort for people to do contact-tracing by scanning QR codes -- if they remember to.

Will this year's turnout be like last year?

When the government first announced the cancellation of the fairs, the flower farmers were in an uproar, saying they had prepared millions of dollars worth of flowers, particularly orchids to sell. 

The flip-flop is pathetic to say the least. We would all understand if it was cancelled because of the pandemic, but now the government is pandering to flower farmers. Will people really come out to the fairs with the chance of catching the coronavirus? The government's integrity has sunk even lower...

Coronavirus Cases Continue to Surge

Carrie Lam with Sophia Chan announcing new restrictions

 

We can thank tai tais for the fourth wave of the coronavirus. There are over 180 cases linked to dance clubs, 21 place spread all over the city. Avid dancers don't just go to one location, and even the dancing companions will also move around the different clubs to dance with middle-aged women.

There are videos going around of these people dancing maskless and in very close proximity to each other which is shocking to see and one wonders why these people are not worried at all.

One dance cluster was at this Wan Chai club

Despite the surge in cases, the government has not ordered these dance clubs to close, and instead is forcing bars, pubs, night clubs, party rooms and saunas to close from Thursday for at least a week.

Meanwhile restaurants, including those in hotels, will be limited to only serving a maximum of 40 customers, as they will only be allowed to have 10 tables, with at most four diners per table. 

The bar industry was infuriated by the latest announcement, as the latest cases did not stem from bars and pubs, and yet it was being punished -- again.

"It's very unfair. We are in a very passive position, because no matter what we do... we have executed all the measures and also followed closely every single regulation, but we are still the one to blame," said Anthea Cheung, director of the Lan Kwai Fong Association.

Bars in Lan Kwai Fong will shut again

"We are getting ready for the promotion of Christmas. Maybe 50 percent of our outlets will close [down] because it's our high season where we get most of our revenue from."

Meanwhile gyms have escaped further restrictions this time around, though it could only be a matter of time before they are closed as well. 

In a bid to help make contact tracing easier, the government has developed the "Leave Home Safe" app, where people can "check-in" at over 10,000 establishments in the city by scanning a QR code when they go in, and then when they leave, they can register that they have left the premises. 

Not only does it track where people have been, but can also alert them if someone else tested positive was in the vicinity at the same time as the user.

People can track where they've been with an app

A reporter found some of the QR codes were easy to find, others were hidden in obscure areas of buildings. While the government says downloading the app and using it is voluntary, it kind of defeats the purpose if not everyone uses it...

However, if things get worse, the government may make using the app mandatory -- just like taking one's temperature before going in, scanning the code may be too.

In the meantime the government should really examine its restrictions and shut down dance clubs for now. 

As most of the patrons are tai tais, they have infected other posh locations, like the two clubhouses at the Happy Valley racetrack, Hong Kong Club, Ladies Recreation Club, and Hong Kong Cricket Club.

So much for staying away from the plebeians -- these tai tais have infected their members-only hangouts and will probably be socially shunned later.

Oh the horror!

The Perils of China's Delivery Workers

One courier loaded with bags of deliveries during the pandemic

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the Chinese bought a lot of items online, from takeaway food to clothing and had them delivered to their doorsteps.

When it comes to food deliveries, companies would use algorithms to determine how fast the food could be delivered, and if the courier was too slow, they would be punished financially. And they would be rated by the customer too, thus affecting their chances for a bonus or pay rise.

That is starting to change after Ren Wu, or People magazine did an expose about the plight of food delivery workers, sometimes risking their lives or being involved in accidents while trying to ferry food to people as fast as possible.

Three delivery workers waiting for orders at a fast food eatery

For example in 2019, the average delivery time was 10 minutes shorter than two years earlier.  

Food delivery platforms like Ele.me and Meituan automatically plan the shortest routes for their delivery workers using real-time intelligent dispatch systems. In order to follow the designated routes, sometimes delivery workers will ride against traffic or run red lights, putting themselves at a greater risk of being in a traffic accident.

A report said in the first half of 2017, a delivery worker was seriously injured or died every 2.5 days in Shanghai. And in September 2018, over half of the 2,000 traffic violations in Guangzhou were committed by couriers from Meituan and Ele.me.

That's because the algorithms don't take into account the real-life situation on the ground, such as road blocks, construction, or even last-minute changes of address by the customer.

Not only that, but late deliveries are not allowed. Typically a delivery worker will make 5 to 6 yuan per order (US$0.73-US$0.87) and deliver about 20 to 30 orders a day. However, if customers don't receive their food on time, delivery workers can be docked 200 to 300 yuan -- practically a day's wages gone.

In addition, if delivery workers receive negative reviews and reduced wages from being late, they can be fired. And if they are in traffic accidents, the delivery workers cannot obtain insurance claims either.

Meituan couriers may see improvements in work conditions

China's food delivery industry is worth 300 billion yuan (US$44 billion) and employs more than 6 million couriers, mostly young male migrants from rural areas. This army of nameless and faceless people were hailed as heroes during the pandemic for being a lifeline for individuals and families during lockdown.

The story published by Ren Wu quickly went viral, garnering 100,000 views on WeChat within a few hours and over 100,000 people sharing the story.

In response, Ele.me [acquired by Alibaba] was the first to announce it will add a feature on its mobile app to allow customers to grant five or 10 additional minutes to delivery workers. It would also exempt couriers with good records from being punished for late deliveries.

"The system is dead, but human beings are living," Ele.me said in a statement. "We want to do better (to protect our workers) in addition to ensuring that the deliveries are on time... Every hardworking individual deserves to be respected."

But why should it be the customers giving couriers an extra few minutes, when the problem lies with how the algorithm is created? Perhaps the programmers who wrote the algorithms should go along with these delivery workers for a day to see how their apps work in reality?

Ele.me pledges more time for delivery workers

Meanwhile hours later, Meituan [owned by Tencent], also vowed to optimized its algorithms to ensure the safety of its delivery workers. The company said it would add an eight-minute "buffer" so delivery workers can slow down in traffic, as well as Bluetooth-linked helmets for hands-free communication while driving.

However, readers were divided on the opinions of couriers. Some felt giving delivery workers extra time would make them lazier and take their time, but this is nonsense, when they make more money by making more deliveries. Others felt giving couriers extra time did not address the main problem which is the algorithm.

This serious undervaluing of couriers has to stop -- only allowing them to earn less than US$1 per delivery is outrageous -- especially when they are risking their lives everyday on the road.

Finding a Way Not to do Homework

A father helps his son with his homework, a daily routine in Wuhan

It's been about two months since kids in Wuhan have been in lock down because of the coronavirus and at first it was fun not to have to go to school, but now for them studying at home can be a real drag.

Children have had to attend classes online at home

They have to use an app called DingTalk developed by Alibaba that is sort of like the Chinese version of WhatsApp for the office, that is not only for communicating with colleagues but also be able to do administrative tasks like request annual leave and process business expenses.

For the students, though they need to use the app to check into their online classes, and the teachers use it to give them homework.

Boring right?

The kids somehow figured out that if enough people give a one-star rating of the app, it will be kicked out of the App Store. So tens of thousands of ratings of DingTalk came flooding in so the app's rating went from 4.9 to 1.4.

DingTalk is begging not to be killed off the App Store!

The app, which was launched in 2015, even begged the kids for mercy on social media: "I'm only five years old myself, please don't kill me."

By the way in Hong Kong, the app has a rating of 2.7...

Study Xi Jinping for Money

Get brownie points by studying Xi Jinping

The Little Red Book has gone digital.

The famous pocketbook of quotations supposedly spoken by Mao Zedong has been upgraded to studying "Xi Jinping Thought" through an app called Xuexi Qiangguo, or "Study Powerful Country".

Once people open the app, they are supposed to read the articles in it -- but they are also quizzed too.

Xuexi Guoqiang is an app for people to read more about Xi

It doesn't matter if you get the answers wrong -- you still get points for trying.

And of course the more time you spend on the app the better, because it's all about amassing lots and lots of points to show how dedicated you are in studying Xi Jinping thought.

It turns out this activity is not just for individuals to show how devoted they are to the Communist Party of China and Xi Dada or Grandpa Xi, but even companies can get in on this and reap some big benefits.


A company called Zhejiang Taida Miniature Electrical Machinery Co, that produces ventilating fans, received a so-called "red impetus loan" of 3 million yuan (US$447,000), said chairman Qiu Rongquan at the recent bi-annual Canton Fair.

The loans are given to companies that have solid businesses after promoting the Communist Party, Qiu explained.

Xi's app is the digital version of the Little Red Book

According to Huzhou city government, where the company is based, the loans are guarantee- and collateral-free, with reduced interest rates to help private companies develop. Qiu said his company received the loan at the benchmark interest rate, whereas it would usually pay 20 to 30 percent above the rate.

What a bonus! And just for promoting the CPC!

Previously the Chinese government would freely give loans to state-owned enterprises, but now it seems more interested in dangling carrots in front of private companies that badly need the capital injection.

Qiu encourages his employees to use the Xuexi Qiangguo app, and apparently it has paid off, receiving government support.

The "red impetus loan" may be used to be part of the 5 million yuan Qiu planned to invest in research in development, upgrade machinery and attract talent. In this way he hopes to more effectively compete with Germany and Taiwan and increase the company's market share from 10 percent to 30 percent.

Devotion to the app can lead to company loans

See it's so easy to study Xi Jinping thought. You could hit the jackpot!