IEC Standard helps curb threat of flu virus for international travellers

Temperature check before entering the
Singapore sling

In early May 2009, the new strain of the influenza A (H1N1) virus, also known as swine flu, started to show signs of becoming a pandemic. The WHO (the United Nations' World Health Organization) raised its alert level to Phase 5 on the six-phase scale, then on 11 June, confirmed the pandemic status, raising the level to 6.

As a result of the threat and the lack of immediate medical solutions, certain countries advised their citizens to refrain from travelling to Mexico, where the virus was thought to have originated and which was suffering the worst outbreak. Employees of multinational companies cancelled business trips and asked physicians to prescribe them with doses of the antiviral medicine Tamiflu, and pharmacies were inundated with requests for masks, antibacterial hand sanitizers and other prophylaxes. On 11 May 2009 the daily status bulletin on the WHO website stated, "The major determinant of the severity of an influenza pandemic is the inherent virulence of the virus. But many other factors influence the overall severity of a pandemic’s impact."

One factor that facilitates the spreading of viruses is international air travel. Frequent flights to a multitude of destinations make it easy for a virus to defy geographical barriers and be carried to the four corners of the earth, infecting on its path people of every nationality with varying degrees of resistance.

Airlines are unwilling and have, as yet, no obligation to make public their lists of passengers. It is difficult to identify possible carriers of viruses so as to slow down the progression of the ill.

A possibility exists, however to screen air travellers at a common indoor entry or exit point in an airport and take necessary action to prevent further spreading of the virus. The IEC was quick to standardize procedure in this respect. In October 2008 it produced International Standard IEC 80601-2-59, Medical electrical equipment - Part 2-59: Particular requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of screening thermographs for human febrile temperature screening.

The method uses infrared technology to detect the level of naturally emitted heat on the skin surface. By scanning the face of a passenger, it is relatively easy to detect a raised body temperature and so gain a strong indication of a fever.

The International Standard was developed by a pluridisciplinary JWG (Joint Working Group) of IEC SC (Subcommittee) 62D: Electromedical equipment, and ISO TC (Technical Committee) 121: Anaesthetic and respiratory equipment, SC 3: Lung ventilators and related equipment.

For two crucial months during the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic of 2003, China used the infrared method to check some 30 million travellers. Of these, 9 292 were detected as having a raised temperature, and 21 of the 38 suspected of being SARS carriers were diagnosed with the virus.

Following the IEC standard 80601-2-59, a joint team from IEC SC 62D and ISO TC 121 SC 3 developed ISO/TR (Technical Report) 13154, Medical electrical equipment - Deployment, implementation and operational guidelines for identifying febrile humans using a screening thermograph, which was published in early April 2009. This TR provides general guidelines on indoor thermographic screening of people to prevent the spread of infection. It was derived in part from the SPRING (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board) Technical Reference 15, which was created as a result of the Singapore experience during the SARS epidemic. SPRING is the IEC National Committee of Singapore.

The Technical Report introduction states, "Well-coordinated international implementation of entry and exit restrictions is an important component of an effective global response to contain cases and prevent a pandemic."

It continues, "The prime objectives of pandemic planning are to save lives, reduce the health impact of a pandemic and minimize disruption to health and other essential services, while maintaining business continuity as far as is possible and reducing the general disruption to society that is likely to ensue, serious though this will be. Strong leadership, organization and co-ordination and clear lines of accountability and communication will be key to preparing for, and responding to, a pandemic."