Coronavirus: Hong Kong to deploy more than 100,000 tracking wristbands to monitor patients in home isolation
- Technology minister Alfred Sit says more electronic wristbands to be procured as city continues to battle rising case numbers
- Government will ‘urgently employ’ experienced mainland Chinese care workers to ease manpower shortage at homes for elderly and disabled, labour chief Law Chi-kwong says
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Alfred Sit Wing-hang told a radio programme on Sunday that the administration had prepared the devices for patients awaiting help from health authorities, and would procure more supplies to meet the city’s needs.
The electronic wristbands will be paired with a tracking app and given to patients who are self-isolating at home while waiting to be admitted to hospital.
The devices emit a communication signal, which is monitored and recorded by an app to log any changes.
“We will arrange for officers to go to a patient’s door and help them wear the wristbands,” Sit said. “Due to the increase in the number of confirmed cases, [the waiting period] may take longer. I hope everyone understands.”
The technology secretary added the implementation of the city’s vaccine pass scheme would also assist with tracing close contacts of Covid-19 patients.
