VANCOUVER -- A Vancouver liquor store has installed a thermal camera to check its customers' temperatures.
“It keeps our customers more safe, it keeps our employees more safe and it functions by itself,” said Abri Van Der Berg, the general manager of Value on Liquor Store.
The camera uses laser technology to read a person’s temperature and display it on screen.
Van Der Berg said if any customer shows a temperature above 37.5 degrees, the store staff will be alerted.
“I would then ask the person to leave the premises in the interest of the safety of other customers and my employees,” Van Der Berg said.
Fever is one of the symptoms of COVID-19.
The store believes it is one of the first retailers in B.C. to implement the technology.
Van Der Berg said it has been tested and is extremely accurate.
The store also has plans to keep the technology in place after the pandemic.
Privacy advocates are concerned about the use of the thermal camera, especially since it’s not mandatory in the province.
“I think this is frankly a bit rushed,” said Harsha Walia, the executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association.
“There are no guidelines for the government sector, let alone the private sector to be engaging in this kind of screening themselves,” Walia said.
She explained other concerns for her organization would be where the data and imaging is stored.
“We’re not collecting any data, we’re not storing any data,” responded Van Der Berg.
He said the store has yet to have any problems with customers feeling uncomfortable.
