China with an in-country population of 1.43 billion (Nov 2019 estimate) has instituted a comprehensive system of technological checks in its efforts to maintain control over the coronavirus. In a DNT exclusive report, mobile phone apps and a plethora of barcodes are used to strictly monitor movements of people at virtually every entrance of public buildings.
The system being used by the Chinese may prompt protests of privacy invasion in other societies, but to a people accustomed to strict government control over certain aspects of their lives, there appears to be unanimity on the concept of the-end-justifies-the-means if it solves a larger problem.
In particular two mobile apps – We Chat, and Alipay – are playing the central role in the attempt to prevent the COVID-19 resurgence, according to DNT’s China Desk. The Ministry of Education has partnered with these two companies to institute a program that enables students to key their vital statistics such as temperature.
The apps also allow the user to input their personal details such as passport information. Chinese citizens who do not carry passports would key in personal information from their national ID card.
Then to track their movements for the purpose of aiding contact tracing, barcodes have been installed at the entrance of all major public building where those entering must scan their mobile phones to ascertain their status before entering.
There is also an opportunity for those who are not students but would want to apply or go through various public places or use facilities that are demarcated as public. All these people will need to do is to first of all scan their barcodes with their We Chat or Alipay applications.
These persons will be open to an interface where they will have to key in their details from where they are coming and their various locations of residence. The authorities believe these steps will help to monitor the movements of people so that they can easily trace their whereabouts.
Chinese city of Wuhan was both the origin and epicenter of the coronavirus that is currently sweeping across the globe leaving death and hospitalization in its path. While China may have gain control over the spread, it is not taking any chances as the rest of the world struggles to contain the pandemic that the virus has created.
Michael Amponsah – DNT News, China.
