Briefs | Gov’t card to be digitized, gathered on unified app

The government has plans to launch a card section in its central service app, which will include some of the most popular government-issued cards, featuring the healthcare “Gold Card”, the Sports Bureau’s Sport Easy Card, as well as 26 others. Although it hosts 180,000 individual accounts now, the app will be developed slowly to ensure stability, Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong has stressed. Cheong added that many government bureaus want to add their services to the app, but an upgrade is needed or the app may crash.

Gongbei Border implements flow control over weekend

In response to new Covid-19 cases in Guangdong, over the past weekend, the Gongbei Border in Zhuhai levied physical flow control measures, such as barriers and social distancing guidance points. Extra workforce was deployed, reminding travelers to follow the measures. The Zhuhai authorities also chartered free-of-charge shuttle buses to move travelers to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in an attempt to lower density at Gongbei, but the service was not popular as some travelers thought it was time-consuming to move around.

SSM to lift booking requirement for Covid vaccine

Health Bureau director Alvis Lo said if conditions allow the requirement for booking prior to jab will be lifted this coming week. Then, jab takers can go directly to vaccination points and register on site. Pre-jab medical assessments will remain, although the prior booking shall no longer be needed, the bureau head stressed. Meanwhile, the bureau has decided to follow mainland guidelines to raise acceptable blood pressure for Covid jab takers to 160/100mmHg. The bureau head stressed once again that the decision was scientific.