How can I quickly identify the coronavirus infection? In places with a high number of people, sniffer dogs should now be used - and recognize the virus by its smell.
- The coronavirus pandemic * is still pervasive, a vaccine * has not yet been found.
- Since symptoms are often not noticed initially, the risk of infection is high.
- Dogs could now help. You should be able to recognize Covid-19 early on by the smell.
- Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus * and the corona news from Germany. You can also find current case numbers in Germany here as a map *. The following recommendations for corona protective measures * are currently available. All information on the subject is also available on our Facebook page Corona News.
London dogs are known to have a fine sense of smell. Can they also coronavirus sniff? There are many indications that the four-legged friends could become an elementary means in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 .
Corona Tests at the Airport: Dogs Can Detect Virus: Curb Spread?
In Great Britain, which is severely affected by the coronavirus, research is currently underway on this subject. The School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at the University of London is confident that dogs can actually recognize the coronavirus by its smell.
Because the infection of many diseases is accompanied by a change in body odor. In the past, sniffer dogs would have been "successfully trained to detect the presence of malaria in human smell with high accuracy," explains research director James Logan.
In addition, the scientists have already "trained dogs to diagnose cancer, Parkinson's and many other diseases that change the smell of the human body." The researchers are therefore certain: "If Covid-19 has an odor, we are confident that that the dogs will recognize him. "
We are investigating whether dogs can detect people with COVID-19. Each dog would be able to screen 250 people per hour, especially at airports, and could help us to return to normal life quicker.
If you'd like to support us, please visit https://t.co/pkKlokoSYa#COVIDK9s
Coronavirus: "Very great chance" that Covid-19 has its own smell - dogs recognize it with "high accuracy"
But does the corona virus actually have its own body odor? Due to the novelty of the virus, the research is not yet fully developed, but according to Logan there is a “very big chance” that this is so. After successful training, the dogs could finally recognize this possible smell with "high accuracy".
The procedure is simple. Odors from healthy and sick people with Covid-19 are recorded. This is done with breathing masks, which the test subjects had previously worn "for a few hours". The dogs should then be trained to recognize the corona smell .
A preliminary study is currently working with six dogs. Logan speaks of the "Super Six" - consisting of Labradors and English Cocker Spaniels. If everything goes according to plan, the animals should be operational in about six months and then be able to undergo a corona check every hour . In particular, symptom-free people who may be ignorant of the virus should be identified. It is currently assumed that a possible change in body odor occurs before the symptoms appear or worsen.
Coronavirus: Covid 19 test by dogs? Animals are said to be used at airports
The dogs are to be used primarily at airports, where corona tests are currently being used to measure body temperature. The animals would give a more accurate result in this regard. If the dog's nose hits a passenger, the passenger can be isolated from the corona-free passengers. The spread of Covid-19 is to be curbed further.
If an attempt is made to train dogs for a possible corona smell , such methods may also be conceivable in Germany, where the terminals will be full again in the future. Munich Airport * is currently preparing for the Corona Neustart . There is of course confusion about the temperature measurements *. Did this problem resolve in the future? Dogs could once again become problem-solvers with their sensitive noses.
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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Jesús Hellín
