London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 2025

Hong Kong restaurants likely to get Covid-19 app exemptions for kids, elderly

Hong Kong restaurants likely to get Covid-19 app exemptions for kids, elderly

Authorities ‘open to granting a few exemptions’, sector leader says, noting the number of Hongkongers without a smartphone is relatively small. Remarks come as city confirms four new Covid-19 cases.

The mandatory use of Hong Kong’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app at local restaurants from December 9 is likely to come with exemptions for children and the elderly, many of whom do not own smartphones, the city’s health chief and an industry leader have indicated.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee on Saturday said the government understood that some members of the public would need help to use the “Leave Home Safe” risk-exposure app when entering venues.

Asked by reporters whether children and elderly residents who did not own a smartphone would be exempted from the mandate, Chan replied: “Authorities will make considerations in relevant directions.”

Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades.


“Extending the use of the ‘Leave Home Safe’ app is for the benefit of members of the public,” Chan said. “We hope people can record where they have been so if an outbreak happens, we can inform those who had been in the same areas immediately and notify them to get tested.”

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades president Simon Wong Ka-wo, who has been in talks with the government over the mandatory use of the app at eateries and entertainment venues, said authorities were “open to granting a few exemptions”.

“There are not that many people without smartphones, so it’s feasible to grant a few exemptions for them,” Wong told a radio show.

According to government statistics, 92.1 per cent of Hongkongers aged 10 and above – or nearly 6 million people – owned a smartphone as of 2020.

The number dropped dramatically, however, for those aged 65 and above, with just 68.1 per cent of that demographic owning a smartphone.

Wong said authorities were inclined to exempt those aged 15 and under from the risk-exposure app mandate.






Precedent suggests he is correct. When usage of the “Leave Home Safe” app became mandatory for entering government facilities on November 1, those aged 12 and under as well as elderly residents without a mobile phone and the disabled were exempted.

The government app, which has been downloaded 6.9 million times since its launch a year ago, lets users enter venues such as restaurants and bars by scanning a QR code. The app logs the person’s entry into a digital diary in an encrypted format without collecting personal data or tracking movements in real time.

Users receive a notification if they have been to a location where a recently confirmed Covid-19 patient has also visited.

The introduction of the new requirement means patrons will no longer have the option of simply writing down their contact information on paper.

Wong said making it compulsory for patrons to use the app before entering venues removed the burden on restaurants and other operators who risked having their operations suspended if customers supplied false information.


“In the past six months, especially with the vaccine bubble arrangement, many restaurants have been used to asking diners to scan the QR code on the app. The industry is prepared to adopt its mandatory use,” he added.

Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang on Thursday announced that the government would send outreach teams to MTR stations and public housing estates to help familiarise the public with the app.

Sit also said the government was working with telecoms companies and charities to donate free smartphones to the needy so they could take part in the scheme.







On December 10, the “Leave Home Safe” app will be updated to its 3.0 version, which will allow users to register for the Hong Kong Health Code, a requirement for eventual quarantine-free travel to mainland China.

Hong Kong on Saturday confirmed four new imported Covid-19 cases – two from Britain, and one each from the United States and Indonesia. All four involved a mutated strain of the coronavirus. The new infections brought the city’s overall tally to 12,452 cases, with 213 related deaths.

Mexico became the latest to be added to Hong Kong’s list of Group A high-risk countries, after it confirmed its first Omicron variant case on Friday. From Tuesday, non-residents from Mexico will be banned from entering the city, and only fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents holding recognised inoculation records will be allowed to fly in.

Currently, Hong Kong has deemed more than 50 countries to be high-risk for Covid-19.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×