In Sichuan, unified health code scans required

Sichuan province will impose rigid health code scanning in public places to maximize the screening and recognition rate of the key population, a circular on the website of the Sichuan provincial government said on Monday.

The circular, which was created by the provincial headquarters coping with COVID-19, requires that people entering public places in the province scan their Sichuan Tianfu Health Pass.

The latest round of clusters has once again sounded the alarm, and the prevention situation remains serious and complex. Low risk does not equal zero risk, the circular said.

It stressed that the idea of a fluke should be avoided and every effort should be made to fight a protracted war of prevention and control.

To maintain efficient operation in the command system, after a local COVID-19 case is confirmed, the response mechanism must be started within four hours at the provincial level, three hours at the municipal level and two hours at the county level to ensure rapid and effective control, the circular said.

The Sichuan Tianfu Health Pass, launched on Jan 11, is Sichuan's unified health code — a two-dimensional code showing an individual's health status. Information about a person's health status and where that person has traveled in the past two weeks are associated with the code.

The circular has been praised by many residents of Sichuan. Before the latest outbreak in late July, many people in charge of public places could allow passengers in, even if the the code was not scanned, which raises risk.