Thermal scanners, which measure people’s skin temperatures, are once again becoming a fixture at airports around Asia. These were first introduced during the SARS scare in 2004, and are being dusted off once again in light of concerns about swine flu. The scanners help easily identify people coming off arriving flights who might have an elevated temperature, which could be an early sign of being sick. The hope is that health officials will be able to catch possible flu carriers when they enter the country (although, catching them before they get on the plane would seem to be a much better idea.)
There’s some doubt about how effective this measure will be in preventing the spread of swine flu, but governments have to do something, or at least be seen to be doing something. The scanners are in place at most international airports in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and many other countries. The delay they cause on arrival is usually minimal, if any.
