A migrant worker in Shuangqiao village scans a QR code to fill in personal information before he returns to his hometown for the Spring Festival. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

A WeChat mini program designed to collect information on people coming from or going to Shuangqiao village, Chuanjiang town – in the Tongzhou district of Nantong city in East China's Jiangsu province – has made local COVID-19 prevention and control much easier.

The home textiles industry in Shuangqiao is well-developed, forming a cluster of 11 manufacturers above a designated size – meaning companies generating annual revenue of 20 million yuan ($3.1 million) or more – and over 200 smaller ones, including self-employed ventures. In addition to 2,432 permanent local villagers, there is a floating population of more than 6,000 people.

The mini program was developed to collect travel information in a more efficient way. Launched on Jan 17, it has already gathered 1,004 pieces of information, more than 80 percent of which came from non-locals whose hometowns are mainly in the low epidemic risk regions of Anhui and Henan provinces.

Without personal contact, the information can be filled in on smart phones once the QR code is scanned and is then sent to database to automatically generate information tables and for processing.

Those planning return to medium or high-risk COVID-19 regions will be urged by local Party officials to stay put during the Spring Festival holiday.

Another mini program, still being developed for information collection of returnees, will be put into use after the holiday. It is aimed at all those returning to Nantong between Jan 28 and March 8 from outside the city, including urban and rural areas. Information on registered travelers will be divided into four risk levels.

The program also shows a list of medical units in Tongzhou, where returnees can have nucleic acid tests.