Amazon is now using thermal cameras to screen workers for fevers at the company's operations facilities. The company has faced criticism after a number of reported cases where employees became sick with the Wuhan coronavirus, leading to organized walkouts at some of the company's warehouses.
According to a statement emailed to CNN Business, Amazon has installed thermal cameras to detect fevers among the company's workforce. The cameras require less contact between individuals and can detect fevers faster than forehead camera devices the company originally used. The new devices will reportedly be installed at Whole Foods entrances where employees of the grocery chain enter for work. Amazon acquired Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion dollars.
"We implemented daily temperature checks in our operations locations as an additional preventative measure to support the health and safety of our employees who continue to provide a critical service in our communities,” Amazon Spokesperson Kristen Kish said in a statement. "We are now implementing the use of thermal cameras for temperature screening to create a more streamlined experience at some of our sites.