The NSW contact tracers are doing a great job at finding contacts of confirmed COVID19 cases. Many clusters have developed after a COVID19 positive person attends a pub or restaurant. It’s so important that the pub/restaurant has a complete list of patrons.
Many Lane Cove eateries have been keeping a list of patrons, but some of them have been paper lists with pens. A pen can carry the coronavirus, so this is not necessarily a good way to record contact details.
The Lane Cove Council has provided to all Lane Cove food establishments a contact free way of recording patron’s details. So it’s now easier for locals to register their visit to local cafes and restaurants.
Lane Cove Council has joined forces with Shiftlineup, a Lane Cove West-based company, to produce an electronic COVID-19 Customer and Visitor Registration System.
Urhere
Forty local food businesses are already on board to use urhere which Council has made available to local businesses free of charge. You will start to see businesses in the area displaying a unique QR code which you can scan to register your visit. Lane Cove Council observed 500 people check-in in less than 24 hours of introducing the system, which is a terrific response.
Unlike many other registration systems, this one verifies the phone number on first-time use by sending a confirmation code, similar to a banking transaction. There’s also the option to remember visitor details on your device which means next time you visit a venue using this same system; you don’t need to re-enter your name and number, it will automatically log this for you when you scan the QR code. Users can also rest assured that information is stored within Australia for 28 days as per the current government requirements and unlike some other apps, is not available for third party use.
App Store
Lane Cove Council are keen to have as many businesses as possible using the same system to increase the convenience for customers and to help meet the requirements of NSW Health. They expect the urhere App to launch in the App Store within the coming week and at around the same time, Lane Cove Council will start to contact other types of local businesses who may be interested in coming on board.
How to Get Involved
If you are a local business interested in getting free access to the electronic COVID-19 Customer and Visitor Registration System, please email [email protected].
The first stage has been aimed at food businesses who are required to record details of dine-in customers under the COVID-Safe Business Plans. The next step will be service-related businesses and Council facilities.
Lane Cove Council is providing participating businesses with their unique QR code via A5 and A3 sized posters for display in the format that is most convenient to their business.
Lane Cove Residents Need to Do Their Best
This system will only work if adopted by Lane Cove residents. Before you sit down at a restaurant scan the QR code and encourage everyone in your group to scan the QR Code.
Restaurants only have limited seating capacity and must have a COVID-19 Safety Plan which requires physical distancing by employing the 4 square metre rule and ensuring there is at least 1.5 metres between tables. If you are ordering takeaway, make your order and then wait outside. If you are waiting for a table to become available, wait outside until the table has been cleared and cleaned.
Hygiene and cleaning is especially important, and businesses must make sure all surfaces are cleaned and sanitised regularly.
Restaurants and cafes are pro-actively inspected by Council officers, NSW Health and NSW Police and non-compliance will result in an on-the-spot fine. For more details on COVID Safe Businesses, visit the NSW Health website.
This is an excellent initiative by Lane Cove Council and allows businesses to comply with the law without incurring costs.
Lifts in The Canopy
The next thing Lane Cove Council must do as the owner of the Canopy is to encourage people not to use the lifts and to use the escalators and stairs. ITC has received reports of lifts at The Canopy being packed. The coronavirus loves enclosed spaces. Lane Cove Council needs to have appropriate signage and also to have a system to ensure the lifts are not overcrowded. Personally, ITC has not used a lift since the coronavirus started.
In the Cove Local News – Get in Every Wednesday!!
To make sure you don’t miss Lane Cove info sign up to our newsletter. It comes out every Wednesday at 7.30 pm and includes a wrap up of everything posted on our Facebook site in the previous week.
Did you know that In the Cove has an Instagram page? Yes, we do, and we feature pictures from our roving reporters and our ITC team that do not appear on our Facebook page. Follow us on @inthecove
