Step up in privacy takeover: This CCTV camera says it can detect coronavirus carriers

The coronavirus has had nearly 90,000 people infected worldwide and it has taken over 3,000 lives so fat. The number keeps growing and health workers, governments and individuals are doing everything too keep it from spreading so fast. And it’s probably no wonder that technology has also come to the rescue. The “Smart ‘Coronavirus’ CCTV” is being installed in large office buildings to help detect the infected in order to stop the virus from spreading.

The camera is meant to be installed in a building reception or entrance area. It uses detection software to record a person’s body temperature. It scans two people at once, and the information on their body temperature is relayed to a central computer or shown on a screen. If any the camera detects body temperature that’s higher than normal, a “fever alert” will appear. This way, any potentially infected person can be isolated.

“Building managers are facing a nightmare with Coronavirus”, says Jonathan Ratcliffe from Offices.co.uk, “One person could potentially infect hundreds meaning the building would have to close for weeks – there is going to be big money being thrown at this issue.” I understand these concerns, but I’d say that a much bigger problem is potentially endangering human lives if a sick worker is not sent home. But that’s just me.

According to World Health Organization, thermal scanners are effective in detecting people who have developed a fever. So, this CCTV camera can definitely be of help, considering that body temperature higher than normal is one of the signs of being infected with the notorious COVID-19. However, the trouble is that thermal scanners have no ways of detecting people who have been infected, but don’t have the fever yet. “This is because it takes between 2 and 10 days before people who are infected become sick and develop a fever,” WHO writes. It’s a bummer, but thermal at least can detect a part of the infected employees, and that’s something.

My UK colleagues tell me that the UK government has just announced that employers must give employees two weeks paid sick leave to prevent the spread of the virus. It sounds like a reasonable decision and probably the safest option. It will inevitable affect the economy, but I hope that it will stop the virus from spreading and save human lives.