Vancouver liquor store turns to thermal cameras as COVID-19 defence

As British Columbia begins to look towards a gradual reopening of the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, one Vancouver liquor store is turning to technology.

Value on Liquor Store on Southwest Marine Drive has installed a thermal camera designed to scan customers’ body temperatures.

The store says the technology will be used to check the temperature of employees before they start their shifts, along with anyone else who enters the store.

“The feedback has been fantastic, the staff love it,” said manager Abri van den Berg.

“The system functions by itself, it doesn’t require a staff member to monitor it.”

The technology is made by a company called Hikvision, and has been deployed in China, the U.S. and Eastern Canada.

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“It’s been set up to give a pre-alarm at 37.5 C that you’re starting to have an elevated temperature,” said John Frostad with Secure City Systems.

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“At 38 degrees the system will give an audible warning to the staff here that somebody has come through the door with an elevated temperature.”

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