【明報專訊】The government has established a legal framework for mandatory COVID-19 virus tests on certain specified groups. A mobile tracing app called ''LeaveHomeSafe'' has also become available for citizens to download. Now the authorities have two new tools to enhance coronavirus testing and contact-tracing. However, the mere presence of tools is not enough for meeting the target of ''zero daily infections in general''. The tools must also be well utilised to achieve that end. Our practical experience has repeatedly shown that the rate of voluntary testing among some of the high-risk groups is low. Disease control experts have advocated compulsory testing to target the problem with accuracy. Now the legal framework is in place, but the authorities are still gazing around hesitantly, saying that the launching time for mandatory testing has yet to be set. Public reception to the ''LeaveHomeSafe'' app on the first day of download was only lukewarm. Citizens were either unaware of the app's existence or critical of the app because too few venues provide a QR code for checking in. The overcautiousness of the authorities and the lack of active co-operation by some of the stakeholders have made Hong Kong's fight against the pandemic good for nothing and made it very hard to achieve good results.