From December 01, QR codes are displayed at a range of businesses and other public locations in South Australia.
If you are visiting these places, you need to check in to the location to make it easier for SA Health to find where people have been in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. If your business has a COVID-Safe Plan, you will have been emailed the codes to display at your entrances.
What are QR codes and how do I check in?
A QR code is a machine-readable barcode matrix that looks like this:
There are two ways to check in using a QR code
- Download the mySA GOV app, and then enter your details.
From then on, you can open the app whenever you need to check in at a venue, scan the QR code, and follow the prompts. - If you don’t have the app, or it’s not working on your type of smartphone, point your smartphone camera at the code. It will open a website link, where you will be asked to enter your name and phone number.
- Once you’ve done one of the above, you’ll be texted a unique code and prompted to enter it, checking you in.
Where are they compulsory?
Any business or venue required to have a completed COVID-Safe Plan must display posters displaying the unique QR code provided by the SA Government, including recreational transport.
Each business must use its “best endeavours” to ensure visitors check in. People who refuse to comply with a request to check in may be denied entry.
The businesses captured by the new direction to provide QR codes are those which undertake the following “defined public activities”:
- Onsite purchase and consumption of food or drinks
- Sport, fitness or recreation activities
- Indoor public meetings
- Ceremonies, including wedding and funerals
- Personal care services
- Public entertainment
- Recreational transport
- Nightclubs
- Relevant licensed premises
- Casinos and gaming rooms
- Real estate auctions and inspections
- Driving lessons
- Health care, residential care, disability support or aged care
What if I don’t have a smart phone?
Venues are also required to have a paper log of attendance as a back-up.
What about my kids?
If your child attends a venue with you, they don’t need to check in.
Where will my data be held?
According to the SA Government, the data will be stored centrally in a “secured and encrypted database” in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. Information will not be held by individual businesses — apart from the paper back-ups for those who do not have smartphones.
The Government has committed to holding the data for no more than 28 days and only releasing it to SA Health for official contact tracing purposes. If used for contact tracing, the data will be kept for as long as is needed for those purposes, but no longer than the pandemic remains.
See the original article on the ABC website.
Face masks – must I wear one?
At this time in South Australia it is not mandatory for the general community, but it is recommended to wear a mask when out in public if you are unable to physically distance.
Try to get into the habit of always having a face mask handy and wearing one when you’re out and about. If you’re heading to the supermarket, for example, it’s a very good idea to wear one.
What about bus drivers?
Given the amount of public contact they have on a day-to-day basis, we recommend you encourage your drivers to wear face masks, if they’re not already doing so.
You can find lots of information about face mask use, such as how to wear and fit them and the best type to use, on the SA Health website.
