Anybody entering government premises in Hong Kong will have to use the city’s Covid-19 contact-tracing app, with exceptions only applicable to children, the elderly and disabled people, as authorities toughen their stance against the risk of infection from coronavirus variants.

The administration on Thursday announced the new rule, set to kick in next month, as the city recorded six new imported cases.

Under the new procedure, all staff and members of the public must use the “Leave Home Safe” mobile app to scan a QR code before entering government buildings. The existing option of manual registrations will no longer be available at such venues.

Those who are exempted comprise individuals aged under 12, and 65 or above, as well as disabled people who cannot use the app. But such entrants will have to leave their names, the first four digits or letters on their identity documents, contact numbers and the date and time of the visit.

They must also present the relevant documents for authentication. Staff in charge at the entrance will also perform test calls to verify the contact numbers.

Government bureaus or departments may grant exemptions to individuals not belonging to these groups, depending on circumstances.

“With the global prevalence of Covid-19 and the high transmissibility of mutant strains, it is necessary for the government to refine and adopt more stringent measures by strictly enforcing the requirement of using the app,” a government spokesman said. Authorities had noticed incomplete or false personal information entered by those using the manual registration method.

The “Leave Home Safe” app was launched last November to help health authorities trace close contacts of Covid-19 patients. Its use is voluntary, with visitors scanning QR codes specific to their places of visit to record information in the software. When someone who had been on the same premises tests positive, other users will be notified by the app.

The system sparked privacy concerns among residents, who feared the government could track their whereabouts.

Meanwhile, a 41-year-old domestic helper from Indonesia was among Thursday’s six imported infections. The remaining cases comprised a 60-year-old man arriving from Nepal via India, a 35-year-old sea crew member flying in from Ukraine through the Netherlands, a 50-year-old woman from the Philippines, as well as an infant, aged one, and a family member, both of whom had been to Mongolia and Korea.

A source said health authorities were also following up on fewer than five preliminary cases.

The government also launched a trial run for a dedicated transport service in Sham Shui Po, aimed at boosting vaccination rates among the elderly.

“Given the threat posed by mutant strains, vaccination is the best way for people to protect themselves. Those who are suitable for Covid-19 jabs should get vaccinated as early as possible to reduce their risk of falling seriously ill and dying should they get infected,” Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said.

Nip, who is in charge of the city’s inoculation drive, visited three ageing districts – Sham Shui Po, Wan Chai and Wong Tai Sin – to encourage more residents to get vaccinated.

At Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po, he inspected the launch of a service that would transport residents, particularly the elderly, to and from a nearby vaccination centre.

Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po, where a trial for a dedicated transport service to ferry elderly residents to a vaccination centre has been launched.

In Wong Tai Sin, Nip observed a government outreach team’s vaccination services involving the Chinese-produced Sinovac jabs for residents at Fung Ming Hall at Wong Tai Sin Temple.

He also attended a vaccination exercise for elderly people at Wan Chai Activities Centre, adding that outreach teams would provide the German-made BioNTech shots to residents at the main plaza of Yoho Mall I in Yuen Long from 10am to 4pm this Saturday.

As of Thursday night, some 4.58 million people in Hong Kong had received their first vaccine dose, a rate of 68 per cent, while that for the fully vaccinated was 64.8 per cent.

The vaccination rates for elderly groups have been particularly low, at only 15.8 per cent for those aged 80 or above with one dose, and 42 per cent for those aged 70 to 79.