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Bea the sniff smells the sample containers at the test station
Photo:
Michael Matthey / dpa
After the first practical use of corona detection dogs at a concert, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) drew a positive interim conclusion. The dogs recognized all control sweat samples, the university announced on Monday. At first it was not known how many samples were involved. Inactivated positive samples were placed at the concert. This was to check whether the animals are able to recognize people infected with the coronavirus.
The sniffer dogs were in action on Sunday at the concert of the band Fury in the Slaughterhouse in Hanover.
500 visitors were admitted, all of them had to do a rapid antigen test and a PCR test and hand in a sweat sample for the dogs.
Five to six dogs should be in action, the animals should not run through the crowd, but rather sniff the samples separately from it.
Three more concerts planned
The goal of the research project "Back to Culture" of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover as well as Hannover Concerts and ProEvent Hannover is to find out whether the use of dogs is an option at major events, said Lower Saxony Science Minister Björn Thümler.
"There is worldwide interest in the project," said the CDU politician.
The four-part concert series will be continued with other artists in Hanover in the coming weeks.
At the performances, the number of visitors gradually increases to up to 1500 people.
The final result of the study will be published in the autumn after the fourth concert.
ngo / dpa