Dino Ndlovu gives firsthand view on China’s technological fight against Covid-19

Bafana Bafana international Dino Ndlovu is impressed with China’s use of technology as the East Asian nation ramps up its fight against the coronavirus (Covide-19) spread and the outbreak of new infections.

China-based Ndlovu told SowetanLIVE from his Hangzhou home that the country’s nationwide initiative sees residents assigned a “health code card” through their mobile phones.

The 30-year-old Klerksdorp-born player said the code determines whether a person has to be quarantined or let through upon arrival at public places.

Ndlovu said public transport users and anybody going to shopping malls‚ office and residential buildings is asked to scan the code and body temperatures are administered.

“You need a health code card to enter social places like malls‚ banks‚ etcetera. They check you before so they can declare you fit or healthy to enter the place‚” Ndlovu said.

He said he used social media app WeChat to scan his code when he went to the mall this week.

“I love it because it is a safe health code card.

“As soon as you get to a public place there will be a code that you need to scan with your phone and then there a few steps to follow and enter your details and so on‚ and it will give you that green code.”

A green code clears a person to go through and the status of users’ colour codes is refreshed at midnight daily‚ said Ndlovu.

“When you get in the complex as an Uber driver for an example‚ you go to your WeChat and scan the code when you arrive at that particular place.

“You simply answer a few questions and it will give you your green colour.

“And it doesn’t mean after receiving that green health card it’s done. You have to pass through screening also and wash your hands before entering any public place‚” said Ndlovu.

The coronavirus‚ which first erupted in the Hubei province in China in late 2019‚ has infected more than two million people worldwide and killed more than 135‚000.

While athletes around the world continue to twiddle their thumbs at home under lockdown due to the pandemic‚ Ndlovu’s club Zhejiang Greentown FC are three weeks into their preseason training.

Ndlovu said Chinese clubs are nearing a month of full training planning their April sessions on the assumption that the league will start at the end of May.