Alicante installs thermal cameras at the entrances of important municipal buildings

These will measure the body temperatures of people coming in with a view to preventing contagion

This past weekend, the City of Alicante has begun the installation of thermographic cameras at the entrances of the most important municipal buildings in the city with the aim of ensuring better health protection for the employees of the urban administration. The contract, which has a cost of 32 000 euros, ensures the installation of 21 such cameras at spots where there is a daily movement and concentration of people.

Security protocols are getting updated in the COVID-19 era

The infrared systems with cameras are portable and are also capable of measuring the temperature of groups of people in motion, meaning that they do not even have to stop for a measurement. If it is detected that a person’s temperature exceeds 37 degrees Celsius, a warning signal will be issued.

In that case, the personnel manning the entrance to the facility has to look into the situation. If the detected temperature exceeds 37.5⁰ they will not allow the person to enter and will advise him or her to contact his personal doctor. If the measurement is in the 37⁰-37.4⁰ range, then the measurement will be repeated up to 5 times with the person rested and in shade. If it stays within these numbers, he or she will not be granted access.

"The cameras are important and reinforce security as one more measure that guarantees greater protection for both citizens who access the City Hall building and officials working there against Covid. This joins the protocols already established since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Antonio Peral, Councilor for New Technologies and Innovation.

The municipal website informed that the first buildings to get the new sensors were the Department of Finance, the Comprehensive Citizen Attention Service and Urban Planning, with more facilities to be added to that list shortly.