#FailedState #CoronavirusPandemic
Dismissing Privacy Concern, HK Gov't Insists in Carrying Out Universal Test and Health Code
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam on August 21 urged Hongkongers to take part in the COVID19 test run by the Chinese companies appointed by the HK government from September 1 onwards. Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip reassured that information will "not be sent outside of Hong Kong".
Despite public concern over data collection and privacy, Lam said that the government will implement a health code plan to exempt qualified Hong Kong-China travellers from quarantine restrictions, similar to what China had already installed in Macau and Guangdong.
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit dismissed privacy concern. He stated that the health code users will have to acknowledge that they 'agree' to have their data sent to their destination, i.e. the Chinese authorities, if travelling to China.
Meanwhile, microbiologist Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Infection, has doubt in universal COVID-19 testing. He called it "a waste of bullets" if people with higher risk of infection are not tested.
Ho suggested to test all patients in public hospitals, and carry out repeated tests for elderly home workers and frontline medical staff, instead.
Source: RTHK #Aug21
#BigData #HealthCode #CarrieLam #AlfredSit #HoPakLeung #PersonalPrivacy #DNA
Dismissing Privacy Concern, HK Gov't Insists in Carrying Out Universal Test and Health Code
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam on August 21 urged Hongkongers to take part in the COVID19 test run by the Chinese companies appointed by the HK government from September 1 onwards. Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip reassured that information will "not be sent outside of Hong Kong".
Despite public concern over data collection and privacy, Lam said that the government will implement a health code plan to exempt qualified Hong Kong-China travellers from quarantine restrictions, similar to what China had already installed in Macau and Guangdong.
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit dismissed privacy concern. He stated that the health code users will have to acknowledge that they 'agree' to have their data sent to their destination, i.e. the Chinese authorities, if travelling to China.
Meanwhile, microbiologist Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Infection, has doubt in universal COVID-19 testing. He called it "a waste of bullets" if people with higher risk of infection are not tested.
Ho suggested to test all patients in public hospitals, and carry out repeated tests for elderly home workers and frontline medical staff, instead.
Source: RTHK #Aug21
#BigData #HealthCode #CarrieLam #AlfredSit #HoPakLeung #PersonalPrivacy #DNA
news.rthk.hk
Universal tests like wasting bullets: Ho Pak-leung
University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung on Friday cast doubt on the effectiveness of the universal coronavirus tests, saying the government would be "wasting bullets" if the plan is not targeted at people with higher risk of infection. Ho said…