As malls all over the country reopen, many safety protocols have been put in place to ensure social distancing as well as reinforce the mandatory wearing of masks.
For example, in most malls, apart from limiting the number of people inside the premises, thermal scanners are also stationed at entrances. For Ayala Malls, though, the usual handheld device won’t cut it.
[READ: LIST: Operating hours and safety measures of Metro Manila malls open during MECQ]For their shopping establishments, in place of guards equipped with thermal scanners at hand, are fully-automated, contactless and highly-accurate thermal imaging scanners similar to those used in international airports.
The technology, which will be employed in high-traffic locations at Glorietta, Greenbelt and Ayala Center in Cebu among other malls, has a 99 percent accuracy (+/- 0.3 degrees Celsius) and can take temperatures from as far as 1.8 meters.
It takes only two seconds to measure the temperature of a person. The scanners can also detect multiple individuals at a time.
But that’s not all. The device is also equipped with facial recognition software that can flag recorded thieves and shoplifters and alert the security of their presence.
“We are investing in the best technology and we are proactive in training our staff along with providing guidelines for our merchants to provide a safe environment for everyone in our malls,” said Ayala Malls President Jenylle Tupaz.
The contactless thermal scanners will be installed in entrances at Glorietta, Greenbelt, Market! Market!, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Central Bloc, Abreeza, Centrio, Trinoma, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, UP Town Center, Ayala Malls Feliz and Ayala Malls Fairview.
Pursuant to the Department of Trade and Industry Memo Circular 20-21, individuals below 21 years old and those 60 years old and above are still prohibited from entering malls and shopping centers, except for purposes like obtaining essential goods and services or for work in establishments located therein.
Header photo courtesy of Ayala Malls
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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE
