COVID-19 is here to stay. At least that’s the situation at the time of writing. But what does this mean for businesses and public spaces that are slowly starting to reopen? It means they have to adapt. They have to find ways to make those who enter their doors feel safe in their surroundings.
A raised body temperature is one of the key symptoms of COVID-19, but it can go unnoticed in the early stages of the virus. And so, even though contagious, people may continue in their interactions with others, unaware of the threat they carry. One way in which businesses are adapting to this threat is to use thermal technology to help identify those who may be contagious.
Thermal imaging technology can be used effectively as a fever-screening tool in which to identify those with a raised temperature, and therefore not only make visitors and staff feel safer but control the spread of Covid-19.
Hand-held scanners
Hand-held, thermal scanners are a quick and accurate way of examining people entering an area and identifying those with raised body temperatures. And it’s becoming more common – being zapped by a hand-held scanner as we enter buildings. The small gun-like machine targets the skin temperature reading on the inner part of your eyeball near the tear ducts, which is the closest to your core temperature. It works by comparing the measured values with the set parameters for normal body temperature. If the temp exceeds these parameters, security or staff are alerted and the individual can be guided away from other people in the area where medical help can be requested for them.
Hand-held scanners are an effective way of easing the threat of the virus by alerting security personnel so that those with a potential symptom of the virus cannot engage with others in the building. However, hand-held scanners are not a long-term strategy, especially in areas of high footfall. It can take 5-10 seconds to measure the temperature of one person and so is time-consuming if measuring the temperature of many people. Also, hand held scanners can be a threat in themselves. Its use requires close contact, it increases the risk of cross-infection and therefore puts operators at risk.
Are thermal cameras the solution?
A thermal camera system on the other hand is a rapid and automated screening solution that can be up to 800% faster than the hand-held device. This system vastly reduces waiting times to enter buildings and reduces exposure time to the potentially infected person. This can be critical in busy areas where there is high football such as airports, hospitals and stadiums. They can also be installed discreetly to integrate into most busy environments and requires less manpower, enabling businesses to accurately measure high volumes of people simultaneously, while in motion.
The problems with thermal technology
However, a thermal camera is not the answer to all the problems businesses face when it comes to the threat of the virus; there are other considerations to contend with. Thermal cameras need to be technically advanced enough to be able to calibrate other heat sources within its field of view. It’s not a matter of picking one up off the shelf. With something as important as the threat to life that the virus can cause, businesses need to be looking for systems that are accurate and easy to use.
It cannot be overstated that the thermal camera is not a diagnostic tool but measures external temperatures only. And an elevated body temperature is not necessarily a sign of COVID-19 but could be caused by all manner of other health problems. Therefore, operators must be aware of the negative encounters with individuals that may arise by establishing protocols for how to deal with someone showing an elevated temperature.
Although thermal systems are not a solution in themselves, they are a step towards a solution to the problem that the coronavirus threat causes. It offers a reliable method to safely monitor those who enter your premises. It is one of a range of infrastructure tools that businesses – especially those that experience high volumes of people – can implement to help and mitigate the threat posed by the virus.
As this invisible threat continues, businesses have the duty to ensure a safe environment for staff and visitors. Just as social distancing is now the new normal, thermal camera systems to measure body temperature ensures that businesses are using non-invasive technology in order to help mitigate the threat. This will become part of normal contactless entry into buildings.
Since early April Body temperature measurement systems have been installed around the UK in many sectors where people interact, including the NHS. And it will become increasingly more prevalent as organisations try to get back to normal while adapting to the changes brought about by the pandemic.
As virus lockdown restrictions are lifted, it is becoming clear that for millions of businesses and organisations, there is not likely to be a return to normal service. They will need to invest in technology that creates a more COVID-19-resistant and responsive environment for the longer term, if they are to survive.