5,000 infrared thermometers arrive in city for CoV check

TNN | Mar 28, 2020, Kolkata: A SpiceXpress freighter on Thursday morning landed in Kolkata with a consignment of 5,000 infrared thermometers that are key to early detection of Covid-19 cases in the absence of adequate diagnostic kits. The shipment that arrived from Hong Kong was swiftly cleared by Customs. The devices are expected to be distributed across various facilities in the city, including hospitals and fever clinics, as well as health facilities in the districts.

The need to check temperature using infrared thermometers has become vital as conventional mercury thermometers cannot be used for fear of contamination. The infrared thermometer does not require body contact since it checks temperature by sensing the infrared energy radiated by the body. The gadget also reads the temperature in a fraction of the time required by mercury thermometers, thereby enabling mass checks in facilities like hospitals, airports, offices, malls and hotels.

With demand for infrared thermometers shooting up worldwide, it has been difficult to procure the instruments. And with all commercial passenger flights banned in India till at least April 15, the consignment for Bengal had to be brought on a freighter operated by SpiceJet.

The Boeing 737 SpiceXpress aircraft is the only one that is touching down at Kolkata airport every day. Blue Dart, which also operated every day, cancelled its Kolkata-Dhaka shipment. There is uncertainty if Qatar and Cathay Pacific will each continue to operate two freighter services to Kolkata every week. Qatar last operated a freighter on Monday. Cathay is yet to operate one after the lockdown. Alliance Air is expected to operate a chartered fight.

Sources said domestic carriers are planning to convert their passenger planes to cargo during the lockdown.

(Source, Courtesy & link- The Times of India- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/5000-infrared-thermometers-arrive-in-city-for-ncov-check/articleshow/74847385.cms )