Coronavirus: UAE’s Bee’ah launches disinfection pods for work, home

Disinfection pods that spray and scan people for COVID-19 have been installed in the UAE Emirate of Sharjah, according to a report from the UAE’s WAM state news agency, giving a glimpse of how the coronavirus pandemic may change daily practices for the foreseeable future.

The pods have been launched by Bee’ah, the UAE’s integrated environmental, recycling and waste management company, and are designed to screen workers or residents as they enter their place of work or home.

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“The advanced solution can be placed at the entrance of facilities, complexes, buildings or high-risk areas to eradicate viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms on a person or on their clothing in under 20 seconds,” Bee’ah said in a statement.

Bee’ah has already set up pods at Bee’ah’s own facilities, the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority building, and royal palaces.

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Spray and scan

The pods spray a “fine mist of diluted disinfectant” on the person entering them, “acting as a full body sanitiser that poses no harm to human healthl,” according to WAM.

The spray will be triggered when it detects motion and last for 20 seconds.

The same report also said that the pods have the option to install thermal scanners which monitor a person’s temperature without touching them. Supermarkets across the UAE are already using handheld temperature scanners to check customers’ temperature before allowing them to enter.

“Bee’ah is doing everything we can to prevent, limit and contain the spread of COVID-19. Through our new disinfection pods, we are going one step further by providing innovative solutions that protect the health and safety of our employees, and helping other businesses safeguard their own workforce,” said Group CEO of Bee’ah Khaled Al Huraimel.

Bee’ah has also been active in Sharjah’s disinfection drive, with authorities using more than 200 Bee’ah vehicles to wash streets and disinfect public spaces. The company said it had also been applying disinfection measures for its 7,000 employees.

As of Monday, the UAE has confirmed 10,839 cases of coronavirus, with a death toll of 82.