AVIS Milano, a blood bank association based in Milano, Italy, would also like to send a huge ‘Thank You’ to MOBOTIX, Ideologica and all others involved for graciously providing state-of-the-art security measures. A thermal technology system was donated by MOBOTIX, the German multinational manufacturing company, and installed completely free-of-charge by its partner, Ideologica from Bergamo. This generous gesture is a sign of solidarity that also represents an action of social responsibility at an international level, to support the Lombard capital in a time of serious difficulty.
Lombardy is still one of the regions most affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Due to the emergency, hospitals remain overcapacity, surgeries postponed, and staff continue to work fatigued because of what they’ve had to sustain over the past few months.
In addition to this already critical situation, the Milanese capital suffers from a major blood scarcity.
A significant figure in May 2020, 5,215 fewer blood units were collected (14.49% less) than in the same month of 2019.
Many donations made were due to the appeals launched by AVIS Milano. Thanks to the responses of citizens, even non-periodic donors, who went to the Lambrate headquarters in recent weeks in order to generously help.
To ensure donors’ maximum security and to avoid crowding in the waiting rooms, regulating access and managing the flow became extremely important. AVIS Milano has immediately taken necessary measures. Thanks to MOBOTIX’s donation and the completely free installation by Bergamo-based company, Ideologica, the association is now able to provide the highest level of protection before a potential donor is accepted. A MOBOTIX thermal TR imaging camera has been installed in the room where donors are processed and wait for access to donor acceptance protocols.
The camera, which is equipped with a radiometric thermal sensor, is able to detect variations in temperature of those present in the access room. It was integrated into AVIS Milano’s existing system by Ideologica in just one afternoon, and was programmed to detect any temperature rise above 37.5 degrees Celsius (as required by law to allow the donation), with an accuracy level of 0.3 degree. If a donation candidate displays any change from this value, an immediate auditory alarm is triggered. The donation candidate with a potentially higher temperature is then escorted to another location and informed of the reasons for their donation refusal and is encouraged to visit his or her attending physician for further investigation.
In respect of privacy, the system has not been set up to be viewed remotely with a video image on any external PC. The medical staff immediately receives a report that a person with a temperature above 37.5 degrees centigrade has appeared in the entrance hall.
“Thanks to the contribution of MOBOTIX technology, we were able to identify the person potentially at risk of COVID-19 through the temperature symptom from the moment of entry, avoid contact with other donors present and advise the individual on an immediate follow-up with their doctor,” commented Sergio Casartelli, General Manager of AVIS Milan.
“Technology should always be seen as positive improvement in any application regardless of how it is used, either to facilitate or to provide a final solution. We as MOBOTIX are committed to promoting and providing through our solutions and our partners as many benefits and opportunities as possible.
“We are extremely proud and humbled that we could collaborate with AVIS and that our technology could support the work AVIS has done to ensure availability of blood in Milan.
“This is one of the most important actions any organisation could have taken to provide support at this critical time,” concluded Phillip Antoniou, Vice President Sales Europe South / West & MEAPAC.
