Airports And Health Screening: Are Passengers Checked For Illness?

Airports have implemented various screening measures to identify potentially infected travellers, including thermal screening, symptom screening, and health questionnaires. While these measures aim to control the spread of diseases such as COVID-19 and Ebola, their effectiveness has been questioned. Thermal cameras, for instance, have been criticised for providing a false sense of security, as they cannot reliably detect infected individuals and may miss those in the early stages of illness or without a fever. Additionally, individuals can evade detection by lowering their temperature or lying on questionnaires. As a result, some experts advocate for more effective alternatives, such as health passports or rapid testing.

Thermal cameras are used to identify people with a fever

Thermal cameras have been used to identify people with a fever, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Airports, in particular, have deployed thermal cameras to identify passengers with a fever, which is one of the symptoms of COVID-19.

Thermal cameras detect variances in heat and can be used to identify people with an elevated body temperature. They can scan large groups of people in under a second and detect a temperature above 38°C with accuracy up to ±0.3°C. These cameras are placed at various checkpoints in the airport, such as the entrance of terminals, the arrivals corridor, and staff entrances.

When a person with a fever is detected, they are typically given the opportunity to pause and cool down. Their temperature may be taken again with a handheld device, and they may be asked questions about their symptoms and health. If the passenger is found to have COVID-19 symptoms, the airport will inform the airline, which will then decide whether the passenger can travel.

However, it is important to note that thermal cameras are not medical devices and have limitations in detecting fevers. They are susceptible to false positives and false negatives, and their accuracy can be affected by factors such as ambient temperature and recent physical activity. Additionally, they cannot detect asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic individuals, as they do not exhibit a fever. As a result, multiple scientific studies have found thermal cameras to be ineffective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other infections.

Despite their limitations, thermal cameras can provide a sense of reassurance to travellers and staff, indicating that measures are being taken to ensure their safety.

Health questionnaires are used to identify signs of illness

Health questionnaires are a common method to identify signs of illness. They are often brief and focused on a few specific conditions. They can be self-administered or administered by a clinician or trained assistant. While they cannot provide a definitive diagnosis, they are designed to help clinicians identify symptoms that require further assessment and increase diagnostic consistency.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health questionnaires were used at airports to screen passengers for potential infection. These questionnaires focused on identifying respiratory illness symptoms such as coughing or wheezing, in addition to measuring body temperature using thermal cameras.

Health questionnaires can also be used to screen for mental health disorders. For example, the Anxiety and Depression Detector (ADD) is a 5-item self-report questionnaire used to screen for symptoms of panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. The AUDIT-C is another example of a brief screening tool used to identify alcohol misuse.

The use of health questionnaires allows for the early identification of individuals with potential health concerns, facilitating faster access to treatment and better outcomes.

Airports are frequently disinfected, especially in high-risk areas

Disinfection methods include the frequent cleaning of surfaces and the use of HEPA filters for air filtration on flights, which remove 99.97% of airborne bacteria.

In addition to disinfection, airports have implemented other measures to screen for potentially infected people. These include thermal screening, which involves scanning the temperatures of passengers for fevers, and screening and reporting signs of respiratory illness, such as coughing or wheezing.

Some airports have also deployed thermal surveillance cameras to identify people who may have a fever. These cameras are often used in conjunction with health questionnaires, which ask passengers about any symptoms they may be experiencing or exposure to infected individuals.

While these measures can help identify potentially infected individuals, they are not always effective in preventing the spread of disease. For example, thermal cameras may miss individuals who are infected but are not yet exhibiting symptoms, or those who have taken medication to reduce their fever. Additionally, individuals may lie on health questionnaires or evade detection by taking over-the-counter medication to lower their temperature.

Despite these limitations, disinfection and screening measures in airports can play an important role in reducing the spread of illness and protecting public health.

Travellers from high-risk areas are screened

Airports have implemented various screening measures to identify potentially infected travellers, including travellers from high-risk areas. These measures include thermal screening, symptom screening, frequent disinfection of areas accommodating passengers, and health questionnaires.

Thermal screening involves the use of thermal cameras or scanners to detect passengers with elevated temperatures, indicating a possible fever. While many airports have adopted this technology, its effectiveness in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other infections has been questioned by scientific studies. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) found that thermal screening equipment may miss between 1% and 20% of passengers with a fever and may also result in a high rate of false positives. As a result, some airports have opted not to implement temperature screening, following the advice of public health authorities.

For travellers from high-risk areas, health questionnaires are an additional screening measure. Airlines provide travellers from these areas with a form, which must be completed before boarding. If a traveller answers "yes" to any of the questions, indicating potential infection or exposure, they will not be allowed to board the aircraft. This measure aims to identify travellers who may be at risk, isolate them, and prevent the spread of the disease to other passengers and destinations.

Furthermore, travellers from high-risk areas are often urged to quarantine upon arrival at their destination. For example, travellers flying to the Netherlands from high-risk areas are required to complete a health declaration and are advised to quarantine for two weeks. These measures are based on the lists maintained by organisations such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which identifies airports located in areas with a high risk of contamination.

Screening is often performed by non-medical professionals

Screening for illnesses at airports is often performed by non-medical professionals, such as customs agents, border patrol, and DHS officials. This has raised concerns about the effectiveness of such screenings, as these individuals may not have the necessary medical background or training to identify potentially infected individuals accurately.

While some airports have deployed medical staff, such as those from the CDC, to conduct screenings, this is not always the case. The reliance on non-medical professionals can lead to a lack of confidence in the accuracy and reliability of the screening process.

Additionally, airport screenings typically involve taking passengers' temperatures and administering health questionnaires. These methods have limitations, as individuals can lower their temperature readings by consuming cold drinks beforehand, and they may not exhibit obvious signs of illness.

Furthermore, there is a risk of false positives and false negatives, as temperature readings can be inaccurate, especially when scanning multiple people in crowds. The effectiveness of thermal cameras, for example, has been questioned by experts, who argue that they may provide a false sense of security while failing to prevent the spread of diseases.

The challenges of relying on non-medical professionals for airport screenings are further exacerbated by the possibility of human error and the potential for individuals to lie on questionnaires or evade detection by taking medication to lower their fever. As a result, alternative measures such as banning flights from high-risk areas or implementing more extensive screening protocols involving medical experts have been proposed.

Overall, the involvement of non-medical professionals in illness screenings at airports highlights the complexities and limitations of this public health measure. While it may provide some level of reassurance to travellers, it is important to recognise that the effectiveness of these screenings can be limited by the lack of medical expertise and the inherent flaws in the methods used.

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