Dogs have been claimed to be able to detect the COVID-19 virus. However, it took months of strict coaching and training to teach these dogs how to perform their job, but now, there seems to be some great news and progress.
The Helsinki Airport in Finland currently has COVID-sniffing dogs on the program. They are the first dogs in Europe to detect the virus at airports and the second dogs in the world to do so. Moreover, their precision is nearly perfect.
The airport used four dogs to sniff out COVID-19, in addition to the dogs that already work there to detect other hazards. Two of the dogs are working while the other two are resting. Working canines, after all, are entitled to breaks just like humans.
COVID-19 testing is optional in the early phases and is mainly required only for overseas travelers. The assessment is quick and takes no more than a few minutes. First, each participant is requested to use a cloth to wipe their neck. Then, the cloth is then placed in a jar for safekeeping and placed beside containers with other smells in a separate compartment.
If the dog detects the virus, it will yelp, lay down, or paw at the jar to alert the staff. The passenger will then be required to take another free test to confirm the results of the dog. Tests have revealed that the accuracy of these dogs is close to 100 percent.
While Helsinki Airport is only the second airport in the world to use these intelligent dogs, additional locations may follow suit shortly. In addition, Australia, France, and Germany are all developing comparable systems. Dogs being put to work has been in the works for a long time, and it’s incredible to see it in action finally.
The dogs require less than a minute to sniff the sample. As a result, these dogs could be helpful in places where many people gather, such as hospitals and events.
The use of dogs to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 is just getting started. If all goes well, these dogs could significantly impact the world, making viral testing far more accessible. Hopefully, more information about these hardworking dogs will become available in the future.
All photos courtesy of @HelsinkiAirport/Twitter
