Singapore Using Thermal Imaging to Check for SARS

Quixotic1 writes "Channel NewsAsia reports that Changi International Airport in Singapore, Asia's fourth-largest airport, is using walk-through thermal imaging devices to screen for people with SARS. 'If a person is feverish, reddish spots will apear all over his face [on the screen] and that person will then be set aside for further examination by the nurses.' A Reuters article says that the 'Infrared Fever Screening System' was originally developed for military purposes. They are being built by Singapore Technologies."

Comments

Infrared Fever Screening System?

[Blaine Hilton]

If this keeps up pretty soon we will just walk right to the plane and security will be automatic. It will detect if we have guns, knives, razor blades, bombs, burnable shoes, and not to mention if we have a cold, flu, bubonic plague, HIV. What's next? Automatically looking up our families' histories to find any "unpatriotic" tendencies? Are they going to analyze our DNA and see if we are "genetically inclined" to do something?

I don't think I'm paranoid, but this is starting to go overboard! On the other hand though we have SARS, which is pretty scare in itself. I understand why they are doing this, but what happens after SARS is nothing but history, if that happens at all? What reason will they give next time to check us for anything and everything?

Finally!

[Drakin]

A good, senseable use for airport security.

While a lot of folks will be up in arms over this, SARS is a large threat worldwide. Sure, this method will generate a lot of false positives, but it's probably less of an incovience than having to close down the airport and put a halt on all air travel, expecually in regions where SARS has a large presence.

And if I just had a cup of hot tea

[wowbagger]

And if I just had a cup of hot tea, or coffee, or am nervous, or if my traveling companion just said something horribly embarrassing, or....

What about non-SARS fevers?

[SolemnDragon]

would i need a doctor's note saying, for example, that i take a medication that causes similar conditions? Because there are some. ANd that, right there, would have to be verified, which runs RIGHT up against the whole healthcare privacy rights issue.

And i'm curious to know what happens to people after they get led away, and at what point this starts to make since, since after all they may have just infected an airport full of people who are still getting on their flights.

I agree that this is an issue; I don't want to die, and this is killing people. But I'm not sure that I feel good about the lack of limitations here; halfway down the slippery slope already seems like a good time to stop and ask which is more important, our right to privacy or our physical safety, and how much of each we really HAVE to give up in order for this to work...

Re:What about non-SARS fevers?

[The Cydonian]

If you have a fever, and are travelling from a SARS-affected country, you are automatically quarantined. In fact, the official policy in Singapore is that if you're sick, don't travel/report to work/do nothing. The body's immune system is weakened, and apparently, you stand a greater risk of getting infected with SARS.

latest info on sars

[Naomi Heller]

To view the latest info on sars check out the world health organization's specific site:

http://www.who.int/csr/alertresponse/en/ [ www.who.int ]

That is all! -Naomi

Spreading Disease

[Anonymous Coward]

I wish they would start doing this where I work. America is one of the countries in the world where going to work sick is considered a moral obligation. Many countries think spreading disease to your coworkers is bad for productivity.

Smoking can fool the test

[Muhammar]

If the only basis is face surface temperature, taking substance causing periferal vasoconstriction will fool the test - the surface temperature will be lower.

The most common potent drug causing peripheral blood vessel constriction is nicotine. I have even seen thermal imaging pictures of extremities (hands, feet) before and after smoking a single cigarette. The "cooling effect" of nicotine is quite dramatic.