Card readers will be installed at University of Hong Kong entrances as all students and staff entering the campus need to be fully vaccinated or undergo weekly tests starting next month.
The university's announcement came as a number of local public universities imposed similar restrictions.
HKU's vice president for teaching and learning, Ian Holliday, yesterday sent an e-mail to students and staff saying that the new rule will be effective from the first day of the second semester on January 17.
For those who cannot take the
Covid-19 jabs, they will need to take a weekly self-test and HKU will give them free
Covid-19 self-test kits, but they need to provide a medical certificate by a registered doctor or hospital to the university.
HKU staff and students were asked to register their
Covid-19 status either through the HKU portal or through the HKU
Covid-19 Control mobile app. They will then be able to enter the campus using their HKU identity cards.
"We will install [green-colored card] readers at the entrances to HKU. Registered staff and students will need to tap their HKU ID cards on one of the readers to show they comply with HKU's enhanced
Covid-19 control measures," Holliday said.
He added that there would be security guards at major entrances to provide assistance and the university will also link the new rule with vehicle license plate registrations.
The university will ask people who have not registered, including guests and casual visitors, to use the eVT code verifier app of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to show their vaccination record or
Covid-19 test result.
"We will install a second set of readers [housed in eVT blue] at the entrances to HKU. Non-registered visitors will need to scan the eVT QR code on one of the readers Again, security guards will be on hand for anyone in need of help," Holliday said.
People can also show their original copies, photocopies and screenshots of vaccination records and test results to the university's security guards.
The university also said the readers will not retain any personal data, and exemptions will be given to children under 12.
Chinese University yesterday also announced that starting from the first day of second semester on January 10, all staff and students who are unable to get vaccinated have to take weekly virus tests or they will not be able to enter the campus.
Card readers have been installed at entrances to Polytechnic and Chinese universities, but HKU is the first to install readers specifically for
Covid-19 control measures.