By:Rachna Soni, Multicultural Community Liaison Officer, Parramatta Police Area Command
For members of the public who do not have a smart phone to scan in at businesses QR code.
Currently people without a phone to scan the QR code at businesses are to manually write the details in a register at the business. The business must then upload this manual record within 24 hours to a digital format which must be kept on the premises for a minimum of 28 days and present to NSW health authorities if requested.
A customer can apply for the COVID-19 check-in card by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 or by registering online at service.nsw.gov.au. It’s FREE.
Customers will need to provide basic personal details such as their name and phone number.
When a business registers as COVID Safe at nsw.gov.au, it is given a unique QR code to display, along with a unique Service NSW business online webform URL. The online webform can be displayed on a venue-supplied digital device, such as a mobile or tablet. You may have seen these at store entrances such as Woolworths Westpoint.
Do businesses have to scan COVID-19 check-in cards?
No, it is not mandatory for businesses to accept and scan the COVID-19 check-in card. However, it is highly recommended to ease the burden of record keeping for businesses and reduce customer queuing by enabling a quicker, electronic check-in process.
From 12 July 2021, it became mandatory for more businesses in NSW to use COVID Safe Check-in with the NSW Government’s QR code.
Authorised officers and police are making inspections to check compliance and can issue on-the-spot fines. There are on-the-spot fines for individuals of $1,000 and $5,000 for businesses. Court issued penalties can be up to $55,000, with a further penalty of $27,500 for each day an offence continues.
Keeping accurate records of those who have entered a location, including staff, customers, contractors and other visitors, is key to helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. It enables NSW Health ‘contact tracers’ to access critical information quickly and easily if there is a positive COVID-19 case. Check-in with the NSW Government QR code helps businesses remain COVID safe and makes it easier to meet requirements for the collection of customer contact details.
If staff have to “swipe” into a building, do they also need to check-in using the NSW Government QR code?
Yes, staff will also have to check-in using the NSW Government QR code.
NSW Government regulatory bodies are also able to view the total number of COVID Safe Check-ins at a business for a specific time and date to ensure businesses are meeting their COVID Safe responsibilities. Regulatory bodies do not have access to customer contact details.
To protect customers’ privacy, businesses and organisations using the NSW Government’s QR code are not able to access the customer contact details submitted at check-in.
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/create-covid-19-check-card
The COVID-19 check-in card is a hard-copy (printed) card with a unique QR code that contains your registered contact details. The card will be available from 13 August.
Regards
Rachna Soni.
