Evansville Civic Center Installs Thermal Imaging Cameras to Detect Body Temperatures

Ryan O'BryanPublished: October 21, 2020

MADRID, SPAIN - JULY 09: An image from a thermographic camera checks the body temperature of travelers at the health control area at Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport on July 09, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. Adolfo Suarez-Madrid Barajas Airport has implemented new measures for passengers to control health risks during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The measure include thermographic cameras, spot infrared thermometers, safety marking, sanitiser dispensers, protective screens for workers and a Passenger Location Card. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

In an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the area, which has seen a steady rise in Vanderburgh County over the past few weeks, the Civic Center, home to several city government offices, as well as courtrooms, has installed thermal cameras at the entrance to scan the body temperatures of everyone who walks through the door.

As a general rule, the CDC says anyone who registers a body temperature of 100.4 is considered to be running a fever, the presence of which "suggests an infectious cause." In layman's terms something is making you sick, and whatever it is could be contagious, whether it's COVID-19, or something else (believe it or not, other illnesses have not gone away even though COVID is rightfully getting all the attention these days).

How the cameras work is pretty simple. As you walk through the doors, the cameras will pick up your body temperature. If you register below the 100.4 degree threshold, nothing will happen. You'll go through the security checkpoint as normal, and go about whatever business you're there to conduct.

If it detects your temperature to be over the 100.4 mark, an alarm will sound, and you'll be told you can't enter the building by Vanderburgh County Sheriff Deputies on duty.

Of course, technology isn't perfect, and it's certainly possible it could flag you as running a fever even though you're confident you aren't. In that case, you will have the option to be rechecked with a hand held thermometer at the security desk. If the hand held also registers a temperature of 100.4 or higher, you will be asked to leave the building.

While slowing the spread of COVID is obviously the main purpose of the cameras, other illnesses still exist, and the Civic Center isn't going to take any chances when it comes to a person entering their building who the thermal camera registers as running a fever.

The camera scans will start being used this Wednesday (October 21st, 2020).

[Source: Office of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke Press Release]