As Canberra businesses look to reopen and stay open in the wake of coronavirus restrictions, an increasing number are looking to new technology to help them keep COVID-safe.
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Multiple businesses across the ACT have recently installed thermal fever detection cameras as a way to help keep staff and customers safe and help detect some of the early signs of coronavirus.
The cameras measure the body temperature of people who enter a businesses, sending out an alert if a person's temperature is higher than 37.5 degrees.
Belconnen-based education and visa consulting company Himalayan Business Group was just one of the businesses to have had the cameras installed this month.
Its director Adarsha Pandey said the technology-based approach to help detect coronavirus was to help with peace of mind as cases surged in nearby Victoria and NSW.
"We deal with a lot of international students and many have moved from places like Melbourne and Brisbane and Sydney," Mr Pandey said.
"The concept was to help protect staff and clients."
In the more than a week since the cameras have been installed, the cameras have helped to detect two people who had a higher-than-normal temperature.
"It's the main part of our COVID plan and it's increased our confidence level in staying open," Mr Pandey said.
"We used to hesitate when meeting a client before but now we know we are in a safe environment."
The Australian company behind the thermal cameras, Sec Tech Group, say they've been flat out in trying to install them not just across Canberra, but also other cities across the country.
The company's director Jake Meredith said there had been an increase in demand from businesses for the cameras since May.
"The cameras themselves are a little bigger than a security camera, and everything is contactless," Mr Meredith said.
"It takes the body temperature from the forehead, which is where the temperature is most often taken from."
Among the types of industries that have requested the thermal fever detection cameras include education facilities and daycare centres, along with offices, manufacturing facilities, farms and even hospitality businesses.
"There's been a huge interest in the cameras," Mr Meredith said.
"More are being made because we don't know what the new normal is and when we'll be getting back to some sort of normality.
"It's not like it used to be where there were around 150 people in a bar and they were all on top of each other."
Sec Tech Group area manager Peter Economopoulos said the cameras were able to detect the body temperature on surfaces within half a degree.
"The scope has been huge, because the technology can be suitable for every business," he said.
Mr Pandey said the cameras would become a permanent part of the company's safety measures.
"The first thing is prevention," Mr Pandey said.
"We can't stop coronavirus completely, but we can prevent it, and that's where it's helping."
Andrew Brown
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
I've been part of the Canberra Times since 2016, after reporting at local papers in Sydney's north-west. Since starting at the paper I've had stints on the Sunday Times, on the early morning breaking news round, and now as a general reporter, covering the ins and outs of anything and everything happening in Canberra, with a focus on health.
