Corona virus (COVID-19) - early detection strategy for schools, tertiary institutions and staff

25th March 2020

INSTROTECH, South Africa’s leading provider of test & measurement instruments would like to make it known that it has a specialized early detection system on offer, that allows for fast, non-contact screening and identification of school learners, tertiary students and Learning Institutions’ staff who may be displaying the early signs and symptoms of COVID-19 viral infection, specifically the diagnostic high fever in individuals.

Learning Institutions that wish to make use of thermal temperature screening, should ensure that the instruments to be used for fever screening are appropriate for the task, and perhaps more importantly, that operators be fully trained in their correct use, to minimize possible operational inaccuracies.

It is also crucially important that the instrument used is recently calibrated (the readings of the instrument are collaborated with those of a standard, in order to check the instrument's veracity), and has that it has an accuracy or repeatability function of within 1%.

Once Learners and School staff have been scanned, those individuals flagged as “feverish” should be sent for a secondary contact screening where oral, ear, or armpit thermometers are used to exactly ascertain the individual’s temperature.

The Optris Xi400 infrared camera and its extensive software package, is purpose designed for fever inspection.  The software highlights individuals whose skin temperature exceeds the predefined value (38,3°C).  A visual alarm alerts operators to identify and possibly isolate these individuals, so that further examinations can be carried out.   The software also offers an automatic IR image snapshot, when the alarm is tripped, if required.

Installation of the Optris system; the Xi400 infrared camera and its extensive software package, is easy and password protected to prevent unauthorized access. A reference radiator, built into the infrared camera, allows automatic and constant IR calibration of the camera itself. The temperature resolution of 0.1 °C detects the smallest of temperature variances.  With representation throughout Southern Africa, contact INSTROTECH on 010 595 1831 for more on Optris Xi400 IR camera for thermal temperature fever inspection, for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.