Buy thermal scanners for Chandigarh airport immediately, Mohali civil surgeon told

So far, the airport has been devoid of the facility, a common feature at international airports across the world.

Officiating deputy commissioner of Mohali Aashika Jain on Thursday directed the Mohali civil surgeon to immediately buy thermal imaging scanners for the Chandigarh International Airport.

Women wearing masks in Sector 22, Chandigarh on Thursday. UT has formed teams to check overpricing of masks. (Keshav Singh/HT)

So far, the airport has been devoid of the facility, a common feature at international airports across the world. Thermal imaging helps detect passengers with high body temperature, allowing health authorities to conduct further screening for coronavirus.

So far, 4,943 passengers have been screened using non-contact thermometers at the airport over the past few days.

In a meeting held on Thursday, Jain directed the health authorities that all passengers arriving at the airport must undergo thermal scanning using non-intrusive thermal imaging technology.

Dedicated doctors from the Punjab health department are available for international and domestic flights at the airport. Besides, an ambulance has been arranged for sending the suspected patients to the hospital.

The Punjab government has also directed authorities at the Chandigarh and Amritsar airports to prominently display advisories regarding coronavirus for the information of passengers.

“The administration has already set up isolation wards at the government hospitals in Mohali, Kharar, Kurali and Dera Bassi, besides directing every private hospital in the district to do the same,” Jain said.