Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang, has launched electronic health certificate services in an attempt to help the service industry hit hardest by the epidemic resume operations. 

Yuhuan county has been designated the pilot area for the service. 

Applicants will receive a receipt for an electronic health certificate after completing the required procedures, including a health examination and offering their personal information at the county’s designated hospital.

Within 72 hours, they will be able to receive electronic certificates by scanning QR codes on their receipts.

Since the trial phase for the service began on March 11, more than 400 people in Yuhuan have applied for the electronic certificates and 196 have been issued. 

"It used to take five to seven weekdays to obtain a health certificate, but now it only takes 48 hours," said Gao Chenglong, executive director of the Qinggang branch of Yuhuan No 2 People's Hospital. 

The electronic health certificates make things more convenient for the public and facilitate the digitalization of administrative services. 

"Its subsequent integration with the face recognition system will provide a lot of convenience for market practitioners and supervisors," said Zhou Gaopin, head of the Yuhuan health supervision institute. 

Mr Shi, who runs a barber shop in Qinggang town, was among the first to apply for the electronic health certificate.

"Now that the health certificate is electronic, people won't need to worry about losing it."

The electronic health certificate is expected to benefit more than 40,000 employees in Yuhuan.