Health chief denies LeaveHomeSafe app mandate to be cancelled

The health minister said on Sunday that the government will adjust the function of LeaveHomeSafe, the city's mandatory premises-tracking app under the current Covid rules, but there is no plan to abandon the app.

"LeaveHomeSafe used to play an essential role in fighting the epidemic to record the confirmed cases and prevent infection," Secretary Lo Chung-mau said in a press briefing today.

The government will adjust the current functions of LeaveHomeSafe according to the situation of the epidemic, he noted, but will not cancel its mandate in the short term.

"The Health Bureau is conducting a thorough review of the current Covid measures for possible space to amend," Lo said.

In a press conference today, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu agreed to keep the LeaveHomeSafe, citing that the increase in daily confirmed cases may lead to pressure on the public health system and require certain anti-epidemic measures to stay.