Q5 “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application
MR CHAN CHUN-YING (in Cantonese):
President, as “LeaveHomeSafe” is downloaded and used on a voluntary basis, its role in the prevention and control of the epidemic is already compromised. Moreover, the design of the app, in my opinion, still has room for improvement. Currently, after scanning the QR code and leaving a place, people have to click the “Leave” button before they can scan the code and make records at another place. If the places are in the same building, such as our Legislative Council Complex, it is difficult to request everyone to remember to click the “Leave” button when departing from one conference room before going to another one.
Nevertheless, President, my supplementary question is not about this. Since the Government wishes to encourage people to download and use the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile app, it should first ask the Civil Service to take the lead in demonstration and promotion. May I ask whether the Secretary has done so? Does he have in hand the proportion taken up by civil servants in the total number of people who have now downloaded the app?
SECRETARY FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY (in Cantonese):
President, we will actively consider the view given by Mr CHAN just now. We will also keep improving the mobile app in the light of the actual operational circumstances, such that anti-epidemic technologies can help members of the public fight the virus together with greater precision.
As a matter of fact, before the formal launch of the mobile app, I had personally introduced it to all the Heads of Departments at the Government’s internal Heads of Departments’ meeting. Overall, the Government attaches great importance to the mobile app, and with the recommendation of the Heads of Departments, various departments have been asked to put it into use. Consequently, when Members visit different government departments, they will probably notice that we have already applied this mobile app.
However, this is a voluntary scheme. Moreover, we did not record the professions of people who downloaded the mobile app, not to mention whether they work in the Hong Kong Civil Service. Therefore I do not have the relevant figures now.