Under the ‘state of emergency’ the Japanese government is encouraging people to minimise physical contact as much as possible. Yet lots of buildings, including hospitals and hotels that accept coronavirus patients in self-quarantine, have no choice but to stay open.

Acomo has just introduced a free app that allows visitors to hotels and hospitals to scan a QR code with their smartphone. There’s no need to sign into a visitor’s book, so physical contact with people and objects is kept to a minimum.

Acomo designed its app to improve the efficiency of the tourism industry but it can be used in a wide variety of settings. After all, all kinds of companies are obliged to record the arrival and departure of visitors to their facilities. Doctors’ surgeries record the arrival of patients. Warehouses record the arrival of suppliers. And all kinds of facilities record the time of arrival and departure of their employees, so as to calculate their wages.

Even when the state of emergency comes to an end, it will still be necessary to maintain social distancing for some time, so all kinds of companies will be looking to minimise physical contact between staff and visitors.

Often, a receptionist is given the task of ensuring that visitors sign in and out of a visitor’s book, so a record is kept of the arrival and departure of all visitors. But the coronavirus can be passed from an infected person to paper and pen. With this simple app, receptionists and visitors can rest easy, knowing that social distancing has been preserved and the risk of infection kept to a minimum.

With Acomo’s app, visitors can give personal information, such as their name, address, phone number, email address, and nationality with the touch of a button. Certain establishments might also like to know additional information. For example, hotels like to know where their guests have just come from, how they got there and where they plan to go next.

Acomo’s app is currently available in English and Japanese. Downloading the app is simple. Go to www.checkinherenow.com and register your company information. You will be given a QR code. Print out the QR code and display it in a prominent place with instructions for visitors. Visitors scan the QR code with their smartphones. Log on to the website and you’ll be able to see a record of all the visitors to your facility. You’ll also be notified by email every time a visitor checks in.

Acomo hopes that its app will help to reduce physical contact, and thereby the coronavirus infection rate. Acomo has produced this short YouTube video to explain how its new app works: