19 July, 2021
Death, taxes and checking in
After the ‘Check In Qld’ app became mandatory on Friday July 9 at 1am, local businesses owners who were required to comply are reporting that Cliftonites are doing their best to accept that checking in is here to stay by signing in, helping to make things run quickly and smoothly.
Sameer Bhathal, owner of Foodworks, said the Clifton community has been very co-operative.
“It’s not just about the government regulations,” Mr Bhathal said.
“It’s all about how we can help the senior members of the community if there is a local outbreak.”
Mr Bhathal said he encourages people to, if possible, sign in using their smartphone to ease congestion at the register.
“The app is very easy to download,” Mr Bhathal said.
“It only takes a couple of seconds to check in once you fill in your details the first time.”
Kent Meacle, owner of Clifton News, also said locals have been willing to co-operate at his business.
“There’s been not a lot of resistance,” Mr Meacle said.
“People just have to put up with it because it’s going to be around for a while.”
Lavella Bowe from the Clifton Post Office said people have been pretty good when it comes to signing in.
“Most people use the app but some I need to write the names in for them,” Mrs Bowe said.
Other businesses reported similar co-operation from the public.
The Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said since the announcement was made more than two weeks ago that the app was to become mandatory, an additional 77,000 businesses had already signed up for the public safety device and there had been more than 32 million check ins via the Check In Qld app.
That brings the total business applications to more than 128,000 and total check-ins using the app to more than 97 million.
“We are in an enviable position because of the sacrifices made by each Queenslander so let’s continue this good work and get everybody using this fantastic check in app,” Ms D’Ath said.
She urged businesses that have not signed up for the Check In Qld app to do so.
“We want life to go back to as normal as possible and I think this is a very small request,” Ms D’Ath said.
“It’s an incredibly straightforward process.
“Once the business is set up, they don’t need to do anything else other than check that their customer has logged in.”
Previously, the Check In QLD app was only a requirement for the hospitality sector, however it has since been extended for a number of new sectors, including shopping centres, and supermarkets, beauty and personal care services and venues that attract large crowds.
“This app is all about keeping Queenslanders safe and helping our contact tracers when there has been community transmission of COVID-19 in our community,” Ms D’Ath said.
The Check In Qld App is a contactless, free, secure and convenient way for customers to sign into Queensland businesses.
For more information about the app and how businesses can register for the Check In Qld app, visit here.
