Machine to control Covid-19 launched
A police officer goes through the S Model machine at the entrace of the Police passout venue in Masindi on Friday. PHOTO | COURTESY
A new innovation to assist in the efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has been introduced in Uganda to control crowds as the cases continue increasing.
The Electronic Disinfectant Stand brought by Africa One Logistics Limited, a locally registered company, is an upgrade on the current system of hand-washing, sanitising and temperature monitoring which could still lead to person to person contact.
“It takes your temperature, does automatic hand and under foot sanitising. You will not need to touch anything since the system is sophisticated enough to do the task if you follow the instructions,” Ms Paula Nahamya, the executive director of Africa One Logistics Limited, said at the weekend.
The Electronic Disinfection Stands come in two models that suit the purpose of the people or office that chooses to install them.
The M Model can be installed in places attracting a large number of people. A person accessing it will have to step in and place their hands under a container carrying hand sanitiser.
After hand-washing, the person turns to a camera-like panel which takes the body temperature and stores photographic data before confirming the condition of the body.
“If the machine finds that your temperature is high, the doors will not open and you will be required to wait for some time before trying again. Therefore, if the temperature remains higher than the recommended 37.2 degrees, you will not be allowed to leave,” Ms Nahamya explained.
The S Model is the second of the two types. It is smaller and takes almost similar steps like the M Model but does not have doors to stop people from leaving if the temperature is high.
Ms Nahamya said security guards deployed at entrances of offices or places like banks will keep monitoring the machine and ensure that whoever has had his or her temperature recorded as high, is not let in.
Mr Timothy Were, one of the installers of the machines, explained that a person entering the machine will have to lower the mask below the chin to ensure the whole face is captured by the machine.
The machines also have ramps to give accessibility to persons with disabilities.
