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Could Covid-detecting dogs be the key to bringing back visitor attractions? | Planet Attractions
     

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Could Covid-detecting dogs be the key to bringing back visitor attractions?

Sniffer dogs are being given new training in the fight against Covid-19




Dogs are currently being trained to sniff out Covid-19   Credit: Department for Health and Social Care

Man’s best friend could soon be joining the fight against Coronavirus, with dogs specially trained to sniff out sickness recently trialled in the NBA.

While bomb-detecting dogs have been used for many years, Covid-detecting dogs are the result of a number of discussions about ways to make mass gatherings significantly safer.

The team of Covid-detecting dogs is a first of its kind innovation for any franchise in sport, and for attractions operators, the animals could help in the fight to make their venues Covid secure.

Trialled on January 28, 1,500 Los Angeles Clippers fans got to see their team in action at the AmericanAirlines Arena for the first time since March 11 last year.

For the game, masked fans observing social distancing rules were lined up outside the arena. They then entered via a screening area where a dog would briefly sniff each person.

If the dog moved on to the next person, they passed the test. If the dog sat down, that signalled a potential carrier of the virus.

For anyone the dog detected, that person and any members of their party were issued a credit for their purchased ticket with information on next steps. They were then asked to go home immediately and to self isolate until they can get a Covid test.

For fans who may have dog phobias or allergies, additional forms of testing were available on site, though the process is significantly longer, taking 30-45 minutes.

Covid-detecting dogs were first used at airports last September, with trials at Helsinki Airport in Finland. The successful trial showed a dog able to detect the virus within 10 seconds based on a skin wipe.

Similar trials taking place in the UK are trying to see if sniffer dogs could detect Covid-19 in travelers, even before symptoms appear. In this ongoing trial, disposable face masks are tested as people travel through airports.

Dog training company SNIFF has taken that process a step further, becoming the first to train dogs to be able to smell people directly, rather than using collected samples. According to previous trials, the dogs were able to detect Covid with 92% accuracy. These dogs were used for the test in the NBA game.

“Any commercial space could utilise this, just as with any security aspect, like the bomb and drug work that gets done in almost every arena, in almost every airport, everywhere, any place that you have mass crowds,” said Aaron Shteierman, SNIFF CEO, speaking to Forbes. “This is our goal, to be deployed in all of those spaces as quickly as possible.”


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Could Covid-detecting dogs be the key to bringing back visitor attractions? | Planet Attractions
news

Could Covid-detecting dogs be the key to bringing back visitor attractions?

Sniffer dogs are being given new training in the fight against Covid-19




Dogs are currently being trained to sniff out Covid-19   Credit: Department for Health and Social Care

Man’s best friend could soon be joining the fight against Coronavirus, with dogs specially trained to sniff out sickness recently trialled in the NBA.

While bomb-detecting dogs have been used for many years, Covid-detecting dogs are the result of a number of discussions about ways to make mass gatherings significantly safer.

The team of Covid-detecting dogs is a first of its kind innovation for any franchise in sport, and for attractions operators, the animals could help in the fight to make their venues Covid secure.

Trialled on January 28, 1,500 Los Angeles Clippers fans got to see their team in action at the AmericanAirlines Arena for the first time since March 11 last year.

For the game, masked fans observing social distancing rules were lined up outside the arena. They then entered via a screening area where a dog would briefly sniff each person.

If the dog moved on to the next person, they passed the test. If the dog sat down, that signalled a potential carrier of the virus.

For anyone the dog detected, that person and any members of their party were issued a credit for their purchased ticket with information on next steps. They were then asked to go home immediately and to self isolate until they can get a Covid test.

For fans who may have dog phobias or allergies, additional forms of testing were available on site, though the process is significantly longer, taking 30-45 minutes.

Covid-detecting dogs were first used at airports last September, with trials at Helsinki Airport in Finland. The successful trial showed a dog able to detect the virus within 10 seconds based on a skin wipe.

Similar trials taking place in the UK are trying to see if sniffer dogs could detect Covid-19 in travelers, even before symptoms appear. In this ongoing trial, disposable face masks are tested as people travel through airports.

Dog training company SNIFF has taken that process a step further, becoming the first to train dogs to be able to smell people directly, rather than using collected samples. According to previous trials, the dogs were able to detect Covid with 92% accuracy. These dogs were used for the test in the NBA game.

“Any commercial space could utilise this, just as with any security aspect, like the bomb and drug work that gets done in almost every arena, in almost every airport, everywhere, any place that you have mass crowds,” said Aaron Shteierman, SNIFF CEO, speaking to Forbes. “This is our goal, to be deployed in all of those spaces as quickly as possible.”


 



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