Sachin Walls
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, airports have been implementing new health and safety measures to limit the spread of the virus. One such measure is temperature screening, which can be carried out by a staff member with a handheld thermometer or via automated temperature check kiosks. Temperature screening at airports is becoming the new normal, with many airports now checking temperatures before passengers enter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Temperature checks at airports | Becoming increasingly common |
| Temperature screening methods | Handheld thermometers, automated temperature check kiosks, thermal imaging cameras |
| Purpose | Identify individuals who may be unwell and prevent the spread of viruses |
| Advantages of automated kiosks | Faster, no additional staff required, decreased risk to employees, more accurate |
| Advantages of handheld thermometers | Operated by a staff member who can respond to queries |
| Disadvantages of handheld thermometers | Requires additional staff, may endanger their health, cause queues, be costly |
| Concerns about automated kiosks | Privacy and data protection |
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What You'll Learn
Temperature checks at airports during COVID-19
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many airports have implemented temperature screening to identify potentially unwell individuals and prevent the spread of the virus. Temperature checks are conducted at various points in the airport journey, including before check-in, after landing, and before boarding a flight. While temperature checks cannot directly detect COVID-19, they can identify abnormal temperature readings, which may indicate illness.
Temperature screening at airports can be performed through handheld thermometers operated by staff or via automated temperature check kiosks. Handheld thermometers, while allowing for staff interaction and response to queries, have several drawbacks. They require additional staff, which can be costly, and the process may be time-consuming, causing queues. Moreover, it can potentially endanger the health of staff members conducting the checks.
Automated temperature check kiosks, on the other hand, offer a self-service option that reduces wait times and provides a safer alternative for staff. These kiosks are non-contact and can accurately read an individual's temperature within seconds. The use of self-service technology in airports has been growing, with self-check-in, baggage drop, and passport control kiosks already in place. Infrared technology is also being utilised at some airports for temperature screening.
Some travellers have expressed concerns about the accuracy of temperature checks, especially regarding skin temperature fluctuations due to stress, sweating, eating, drinking, and other factors. Additionally, there is a debate about the effectiveness of temperature screening in detecting COVID-19, as a significant number of infected individuals may not exhibit a fever. As a result, alternative methods such as "sniff tests" that identify changes in sense of smell have been suggested as potentially more accurate indicators of early COVID-19 infection.
Despite these considerations, temperature checks at airports continue to be a measure employed by various countries, such as Malaysia, to monitor incoming passengers and curb the spread of the virus. As the world navigates the challenges posed by the pandemic, temperature screening at airports is becoming an expected part of the travel experience.
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Automated temperature check kiosks
Temperature checks at airports have become increasingly common due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While these checks cannot detect COVID-19, they can identify individuals with abnormal temperatures, which is key to limiting the spread of the virus. Initially, many airports conducted temperature checks with handheld thermometers operated by staff members. However, this method poses health risks to staff, causes delays, and requires additional staff.
As a result, many airports have turned to automated temperature check kiosks as a safer, faster, and more efficient alternative. These kiosks are non-contact and can accurately read an individual's temperature in about a second. They use facial recognition technology and provide verbal alerts, as well as traffic light-style indicators, to signal normal or abnormal readings. The self-service nature of these kiosks reduces the need for extra staff and helps maintain a good customer experience by minimising wait times.
One example of a company providing these kiosks is LamasaTech, whose automated personnel check-in kiosks offer temperature measurement and facial recognition. Their kiosks are designed to provide a safe environment and can be used in a range of public and private premises.
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Handheld thermometers operated by staff
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, airports have been implementing new health and safety measures to limit the spread of the virus. Temperature screening at airports is becoming the new normal. These temperature checks can be carried out by a staff member with a handheld thermometer, although this can be costly and time-consuming, requiring additional staff members and potentially endangering their health. Handheld thermometers necessitate the use of a staff member to perform these checks, which can result in long queues. However, they do have some advantages. They are operated by a staff member, who can respond to any queries or concerns.
Some airports have begun to carry out temperature checks with a handheld thermometer operated by a staff member. Temperature checks are now being used as a public screening tool for identifying people with COVID-19, with countries such as Taiwan using temperature checks as a key component of their containment measures. However, there is little scientific evidence that temperature checks enable reliable detection of COVID-19. There is no reliable evidence that temperature checks work. Handheld scanners only measure skin temperature, which can be variable, rather than core temperature, and there are issues with unreliable equipment.
Infrared thermometers measure skin temperature just fine. They then apply an algorithm to estimate internal body temperature from the forehead skin temperature reading. Unfortunately, many environmental factors affect the reading, such as stress, sweating, eating, drinking, room temperature, and headgear.
Due to the close proximity of other passengers and the lack of fresh air circulation, air travellers are more likely to encounter viruses in airports and on planes. As a result, airlines may consider instituting temperature checks at airports before passengers check in or board a flight. Although temperature checks cannot detect COVID-19, they can detect abnormal temperature readings, and prevention is essential to limit the virus spread. Travellers landing in Malaysia will go through temperature checks and other forms of testing at the airport to keep track of passengers who may be symptomatic of COVID-19.
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Temperature screening to identify unwell individuals
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, airports have been implementing new health and safety measures to limit the spread of the virus. Temperature screening to identify unwell individuals is becoming the new normal at airports. Temperature checks can be carried out by a staff member with a handheld thermometer, although this can be costly and put the staff member's health at risk. In some airports, airlines have begun to carry out temperature checks with a handheld thermometer operated by a staff member. However, this method requires additional staff members, which can be costly, and it may put their health at risk. It can also cause queues, which is an issue as aviation grows and the number of air passengers is expected to double in the next twenty years.
The use of self-service technology in airports has grown largely over the last decade, with self-check-in, baggage drop, and passport control kiosks already in place. The benefits of biometric facial recognition extend beyond convenience. This technology can enhance security by accurately identifying individuals and preventing identity fraud. It also enables more efficient data collection and analysis, allowing airports to optimise their operations and improve the overall travel experience. While biometric facial recognition has been praised for its speed and accuracy, there are concerns about privacy and data protection. The collection and storage of biometric data raise questions about how this sensitive information will be protected and used.
Temperature screening kiosks are not medical devices, and cannot detect if an individual has a virus. However, these automated kiosks are 100% non-contact and read the temperature of a person standing in front of the device in around 1 second, and will confirm if an individual has a normal or abnormal reading. Infrared technology is also being used at some airports for temperature screening. These kiosks are not medical devices and cannot detect if an individual has a virus. However, they can help to quickly identify those with abnormal temperature readings.
Passengers may have to undergo checks at several points on their journey, including before a flight and after landing. Temperature checks are now being used as a public screening tool for identifying people with COVID-19, with countries such as Taiwan using temperature checks as a key component of their containment measures. Travellers landing in Malaysia will go through temperature checks and other forms of testing at the airport, to keep track of passengers who may be symptomatic of COVID-19.
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Infrared thermometers and accuracy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, temperature checks at airports were introduced to identify individuals who may be unwell. These checks are carried out using either handheld thermometers or temperature check kiosks. The latter is preferred as it is contactless, faster, and more accurate.
Infrared thermometers are a type of thermometer that can be used to measure the temperature of surfaces and the human body. They are often used for contactless temperature screening in airports. While they are faster and easier to use than traditional oral/rectal/axillary (armpit) digital stick thermometers, their accuracy can be affected by various factors. For example, infrared thermometers measure skin temperature, which can be influenced by stress, sweating, eating, drinking, room temperature, and headgear. Additionally, ambient temperature changes, particles in the air, and measurement distances can impact the accuracy of infrared thermometers.
To evaluate the accuracy of infrared thermometers, controlled tests can be conducted using a precise calibrator target with a known emissivity. The thermometers' readings are then compared to the known temperature of the target. In one such test, infrared thermometers were found to have a highest variation of four-tenths of a degree from the control sample. Another test compared the accuracy of different infrared thermometer models by measuring the temperature of a water bath set to 135°F. The readings from each thermometer were averaged and subtracted from the control temperature to determine their accuracy.
It is important to note that no at-home fever thermometer can provide 100% accurate readings 100% of the time. Therefore, infrared thermometers should be considered as tools to track temperature trends rather than provide exact measurements. Nevertheless, some infrared thermometers have been found to be fast, accurate, and reliable over years of testing, such as the Hetaida HTD8813C, sold under brand names like Homedics and iProven.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, temperature checks are becoming mandatory at airports to identify individuals who may be unwell and prevent the spread of viruses.
Temperature checks at airports can be carried out in two ways. Firstly, through a handheld thermometer operated by a staff member. Secondly, via automated temperature check kiosks, which are self-service and contactless.
Temperature checks cannot detect COVID-19 but they can detect abnormal temperature readings, allowing potentially ill individuals to be separated from the general public.
If a passenger is found to have an abnormal temperature reading, they may be interviewed by medical personnel to determine if they are exhibiting any other symptoms of illness.
Apart from temperature checks, health screeners at airports also ensure that visitors are wearing masks and maintaining appropriate social distance.
