Vaccine Pass Plan Presenting at Venues Simplified by Gov't

With the first phase of the city-wide vaccine pass coming into force on Feb. 24, the Food & Health Bureau said that both electronic and paper vaccination records would fulfil entry requirements for vaccinated individuals.

Under the current mandate, only those vaccinated with at least one dose will be able to enter scheduled premises, such as restaurants, bars, cinemas, game centres, government offices, and sports facilities.

At a press briefing late Wednesday, Permanent Secretary for Food & Health Thomas Chan said, “As for the vaccination record, yes indeed, we would allow both the electronic vaccination record and the paper record to be used for satisfying the vaccine pass requirement.”

“We would require the venue operator to scan the vaccine pass of the customers and that vaccine pass will be in the form of a QR code.”

If a customer were to bring their paper vaccination record, Chan said, it should contain the QR code for restaurant operators to scan upon arrival at the venue.

When asked on the limit on multi-household gatherings in private premises to two families, Chan said the regulation does not give the authorities any powers to enter private premises to enforce the law.

“The enforcement power under the other existing legislation still applies, so in case — I have already said that it is not an area we would seek to proactively enforce — but if need be, there are other provisions, other powers in the relevant law enforcement legislation that we may invoke for the purpose of pursuing or investigating or abating any suspected offence that is taking place,” he said.