A new ISO technical report on how to make the best use of medical equipment for fever screening at key locations such as international airports will help public health authorities to contain the spread of infectious diseases such as the H1N1 influenza virus and so prevent them from developing into pandemics.

‘ISO/TR 13154:2009, Medical electrical equipment – Deployment, implementation and operational guidelines for indentifying febrile humans using a screening thermograph’, is a useful new tool for pandemic preparedness.

The ISO technical report will contribute to the efficient and effective use of thermographs used at sensitive locations for screening individuals for fever, which could indicate that they carry a virus. Such screening will enable public health authorities to formulate appropriate measures, from school closure to quarantine of suspected cases, thereby reducing exposure to the virus and limiting its transmission.

A screening thermograph can be used in locations such as entrances to:
* Hospitals and clinics, including emergency rooms
* Critical infrastructure facilities
* Workplaces
* Schools
* Government buildings, including police and fire stations, as well as access to
* Public transport.

A screening thermograph can also play an important epidemiological role in defining the geographical boundaries of an outbreak.

ISO/TR 13154:2009 was derived, in part, from ISO member for Singapore's (SPRING) technical reference 15 published in two parts under the general title, ‘Technical reference for thermal imagers for human temperature screening’. The SPRING technical reference was created as a result of the Singapore experiences during the SARS outbreak of 2003.

ISO/TR 13154:2009 is available from ISO national member institutes.

www.iso.org

•Date: 19th May 2009• Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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