Rumours swirl as rates rise

The country’s once-ubiquitous Covid health codes are back in the spotlight as rumours swirl about their possible return amid the ongoing wave of respiratory infections, with renewed calls for the controversial phone apps that produce the code to be scrapped once and for all.

Recent posts widely circulated on social media claimed the apps were back in use in provinces such as Guangdong and Sichuan, with screenshots showing users holding a “green” health code around 5pm on Dec 1, 2023.