Thermal scanner placed at airports

Thermal scanner placed at airports

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Health has installed a thermal
scanner at the Terminal D international arrival hall of Soekarno-
Hatta International Airport.

The secretary to the Directorate General of Communicable
Diseases and Environmental Health (P2M), Syafii Anwar, said on
Tuesday the equipment would be fully operational sometime next
week after several trials had been carried out.

Thermal scanners will also be placed at: Ngurah Rai
International Airport in Denpasar, Bali; Juanda Airport in
Surabaya, East Java; Polonia Airport in Medan, North Sumatra; and
Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam.

The new device is part of the government's campaign against
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Syafii said the government also planned to distribute pre-
departure health declaration cards for passengers, which would be
distributed with every ticket purchase.

"We will cooperate with airlines and travel agents through
their associations," he said, "and make sure that all passengers
fill the card before boarding their flights." -- JP