Passenger screening technology being installed at airports
Posted on Jul 29, 2020 in Capitol Connection, FeaturedThermal temperature screening technology is being installed at Hawai‘i’s public airports to help protect the community and identify passengers with potentially elevated body temperatures, the state Department of Transportation has announced. NEC Corporation, NEC Corporation of America and their partner, Infrared Cameras Inc. will provide the equipment, installation and a 10-year maintenance plan for a total of $37.5 million. The equipment will be installed first at the gates for arriving trans-Pacific flights, then at remaining gates in the coming weeks.
“Taking these steps shows our commitment to providing preventative measures against COVID-19 for the community,” said Governor Ige. “It is an available tool that can be combined with the additional measures the state is providing to help prevent the spread of this virus, while helping to rebuild the economy.” The system incorporates privacy protections and will only temporarily retain a picture of a person with an elevated temperature of 100.4 degrees and above to help airport representatives identify them and conduct additional assessments. The picture will be erased within 30 minutes and will not be shared with any outside agencies. Anyone with a temperature below 100.4 degrees will not have their image retained at all. The use of this technology is anticipated to be safer and more cost effective than manual temperature checks.