AS of August 13, Service NSW has made COVID-19 check-in cards available. The check-in cards can be used to sign into businesses instead of using a smartphone or a pen and paper.
Check-in cards are available to print out from the Service NSW website or you may request a plastic card be posted to you. Such requests can be made by clicking here or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.
On your card there will be your first name and a QR code. When you enter a business, you present your card to an employee who scans it: you’re signed in.
Your card will have your first name printed in letters as it would normally. Your phone number and last name are in the form of a QR code, which is a type of barcode that can only be read by a QR code scanner. This means your information cannot be read by another person.
Keep in mind the NSW Government has not made it mandatory for all businesses to have the technology to scan these cards. In some businesses you will still have to sign in using paper and pen.
The stored contact information is only accessed by contact tracers if they need to inform people that they were at the same venue as someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
QR codes enable this information to be stored electronically. This is a much faster process than sifting through paper forms.
There have been calls to get rid of paper forms and only use QR codes to sign in so that contact tracers can track down people as fast as possible but this was rejected by the NSW Government.
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