Launching Operation Trace today, Commissioner of Police and State Coordinator Grant Stevens reminds members of the public of their obligation to scan COVID-19 QR codes when entering businesses as failure to do so may have an adverse impact on our ability to respond to an outbreak.

“SA Police have taken an educational approach to QR codes, however, we expect that by now members of our community would be well versed on their requirements to check-in."

“We are seeing a level of complacency regarding COVID-19 check-ins and the now is not the time to stop using QR codes. As we start to see more large scale community events and with an increase in interstate and New Zealand travel we need to remember the risk that COVID-19 poses to our community.

“South Australia has done very well so far and although there is no current community transmission of COVID-19 in our state we still need to be vigilant with positive cases in our medi-hotel system,” says Commissioner Stevens.

If a person in South Australia tests positive to COVID-19, the COVID SAfe Check-In will enable SA Health to quickly identify and contact others who visited the same place at the same time and may have been exposed to the virus.

The information is only used for official contact tracing purposes in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

Operation Trace will include the use of plain clothes police officers to ensure that people are checking in and providing their contact details when they enter a business or attend a public activity.

“We will also be ensuring businesses are doing the right thing by having QR codes displayed, providing a secure hard copy check-in option and ensuring as far as possible that customers and patrons are checking in. We have been tolerant but people need to start using the system if we are to continue seeing an increase in public activities across the state.

“You may not know whether our officers are observing you walk into a business and so I would encourage each and every member of the public to do the right thing and check in where you are required to,” Commissioner Stevens says.

There are up to 1 million QR code check-ins daily. More than 59,800 businesses have an active QR code and more than 1.6 million individuals have used check in system. Information about how to get a QR code is available at covid-19.sa.gov.au/restrictions-and-responsibilities/covid-safe-check-in

Commissioner Stevens says, “It is important to remind the community and business owners that they are required to actively use the QR codes on every occasion.”

Full details and requirements in relation to using the COVID SAfe Check-In system are located within the Emergency Management (Public Activities No 24) (COVID-19) Direction 2021.

If you require further information you can call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787 between the hours of 9am to 5pm 7 days per week or go to the SA Health website at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au or www.sa.gov.au/covid-19