Thermal Image Screening for Curbing the Spread of Covid-19

It has been over a year since the first case of Covid-19 infection was identified. Since then, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded more than 200,000,000 cases. In the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) has announced that the country has reached 2,020,484 Covid-19 cases.

The stealthy way the virus moves highlights the importance of constant vigilance. WHO, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the DOH highlight the importance of wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and regularly and thoroughly washing hands.

Covid-19 affects people in different ways but WHO cites fever as one of its most common symptoms. As the world continues to face the Covid-19 pandemic, placing thermal image screening solutions (TISS) in strategic locations in enclosed high foot-traffic places and high density enclosed spaces have become increasingly necessary for added safety measures.

With fever as a recognized symptom of Covid-19, accurate thermal image screening can enable establishments to apply the proper interventions for everyone who exhibit fevergrade body temperatures. The common and widely-used “thermometer gun,” which quickly measures the surface temperature using an infrared sensor, has ultimately proved to be an ineffective defense mechanism and provides unusually low temperature readings.

The TISS, described as the most accurate thermal image screening solution in the Philippines, is now available for lease in the market. The award-winning and hospital-grade device, produced in Singapore, is a predictive mass thermal image screening solution that provides fast, reliable, and accurate readings for high-traffic areas such as malls, offices, schools, hotels, and more.

According to Estephany Ledesma, spokesperson of Ligtas Tayo Pinas, the exclusive importer and distributor of the device, “TISS complements the health and safety protocols of the national government and offers another layer of protection for communities.” She adds that “as the economy is required to open up slowly, establishments must assure their guests that they are a safe place to visit… so an investment in a hospital-grade device can give peace of mind to customers and potentially slow down the spread of the virus.”

Depending on the user’s preference, an audio or visual alarm is triggered when a higherthan-normal temperature is detected. Since fevers are a known symptom of Covid-19, an elevated body temperature could be a red flag. The TISS offers real-time temperature screening for up to 60 individuals per minute. Operators can scan multiple individuals simultaneously or in a controlled single-line entrance, thus maintaining social distancing guidelines.

Both options offer convenience and efficiency for both establishments and customers, as security personnel won’t need to manually check temperatures and guests won’t need to wait in line. Since it is contactless, it minimizes the risk of exposure for everyone involved.

The TISS’s thermal sensor detects infrared (IR) rays emitted by materials within its view. Any object that has a temperature emits IR, which is picked up by the thermal sensor and displayed as temperature information. The intensity of IR emitted is dependent on the temperature and emissivity of the material’s surface. As a temperature sensor for people, the device picks up the IR which is correlated to the temperature of the skin.

The TISS is said to be one of the most precise and accurate thermal imaging systems available, featuring 110,592 pixels; it also has the deepest and widest range in the industry. It is portable, easy to set up, and can be configured in five minutes. Its lease also comes with a one-day product training and full technical support. In addition, it comes with one year limited carry-in local warranty, with the option to extend to two or three years.

The TISS has been given the Outstanding ICT Innovation Award at the Asia Pacific HIMSS-Elsevier Digital Healthcare Award in 2019. The award-giving body recognizes outstanding achievements and innovations in the use of health information and technology.

More information on TISS is posted at https://ligtastayopinas.com/home.