Bahaa Abdul Hadi is an Identity Management expert and regularly shares his experiences with his audience through his blogs. While scientists are busy developing coronavirus vaccines, biotech firms think there might a better preventive solution. The question on their mind is: can biometrics detect Covid-19 in asymptomatic patients. Most Covid-19 patients do not show any prominent symptoms.

1. Can biometrics help to identify
asymptomatic COVID-19 patients?-
Bahaa Abdul Hadi
Bahaa Abdul Hadi is an Identity Management expert and regularly shares his
experiences with his audience through his blogs.
While scientists are busy developing coronavirus vaccines, biotech firms think there
might a better preventive solution. The question on their mind is: can biometrics
detect Covid-19 in asymptomatic patients. Most Covid-19 patients do not show any
prominent symptoms.
This means, a patient of Covid-19 can travel places undetected, spreading the virus
to more innocent people along the way. Some patients show mild symptoms. Without
a test, even doctors may confuse these symptoms for common cold. As a result
many asymptomatic patients don’t know they have been infected.
However, the research on the use of biometrics for scanning such pathogens is
going strong. If everything goes according to plan, biometrics will detect even the
most asymptomatic of coronavirus cases.
Biometric technology for coronavirus
To prevent asymptomatic patients from spreading Covid-19, Biometric companies
and experts are suggesting the use of biometric technology. Airports can benefit the
most from this technology as they cater to a large population of people, connecting
them to the rest of the world.
Similar to body scanners at security check, biometric health scanning systems can
be set up at airports. This way authorities can scan the people who appear healthy to
check for asymptomatic coronavirus. In 2021, 650 million passengers travelled all
over the world through airports. If biometric scanners are implemented, more
countries will open up their international travel. Currently, they are afraid of causing
another coronavirus outbreak in their society.
Temperature scans are limited
The present biometrics emphasize temperature scans more. But temperature alone
is not accurate enough for the diagnosis of an asymptomatic patient. However, the
alternative to temperature scans should continue being non-invasive. Otherwise, the
scans will not be fast enough to be useful. Imagine forming long queues at the
airport.
Biometric companies are proposing two solutions for this –

2. ● NIR (Near Infrared Light) Transducer
● CMUT (Custom Designed Ultrasound) for biometric identification in
multi-modals.
Biometric scan mechanics
This is how biometric scans will work – travellers get their vascular network scan for
identity confirmation. When that happens, NIR and CMUT technologies will look for
alterations in their blood vessel morphology and oxygen-carrying capacity. In
asymptomatic Covid-19 patients, both these metrics are reduced. People who show
reduced blood vessel morphology and oxygen-carrying capacity will then undergo
RT-PCR for confirmation.
This technology is still being developed. Once it is implemented, this technology will
ensure that Covid-19 does not spread to other places, keeping everybody safe.
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