Pune: As all states, including Maharashtra, have floated tenders to purchase digital infrared thermometers to measure the temperature of a person, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is using them to measure the body temperature of potential Corona carriers’ in the red zone areas.
At present, PMC is using 150 infrared thermometers in hospitals and during the surveys. Infrared thermometers have been purchased from funds given by MLC Anant Gadgil.
PMC is surveying the red zone areas to detect COVID-19 persons. Only one person in the family is providing information to PMC staff during the survey. Thus, symptoms of other family members cannot be known through this information.
Meanwhile, Gadgil allocated Rs 7 lakh from his MLC fund. He said, “The government approved funds within two days. Normally, it takes three months to sanction money for MLA funds. Now, PMC has purchased Infrared thermometers and started using them on the field.”
Gadgil had given funds for purchasing medical equipment at government hospitals. Till date, he has given around Rs 1 crore.
PMC assistant medical officer Dr Anjali Sabane said, “We purchased 300 infrared thermometers. At present, around 150 thermometers are being used for measuring the body temperature of people in the red zone areas. We want more such thermometers for measuring temperature, which allows us to keep the social distance.”
Congress corporator Arvind Shinde said, “We provided thermometers to PMC staff to use in the red zones. Besides, we have given some to our party workers, who are helping PMC to measure body temperature with the help of infrared thermometers as there is a lack of manpower for the survey and tremendous pressure on PMC staff. Our party workers known as Corona fighters have been deployed in the Tadiwala road area to measures the temperature of citizens and report to the PMC health department.”
How it works
Non-contact infrared thermometers measure body temperature through infrared rays from a distance without any physical contact with the person, whose temperature is to be measured.
These thermometers quickly measure temperature from a distance of one to five centimetres.
These are widely being used across the world to detect potential corona carriers. These are battery-operated, handy and easy-to-use thermometers, which do not require any trained technicians.
Their cost varies from Rs 3,500 to Rs 25,000 depending on the company and technical specifications.
Meanwhile, most of the state governments floated tenders on their web portals for procurement of infrared thermometers. Their demand is continuously increasing. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Odisha are some the states requiring these devices.
