Banks in P’Harcourt screen customers

FOLLOWING the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, some banks have commenced the screening of their customers for Ebola virus.

While some old generation banks only provided hand sanitisers for their customers on Tuesday, the new generation banks used a screening device to ascertain the temperature of those entering their branches. Continue....

At one of the generation banks located inside the state secretariat, customers were screened before they were allowed into the banking hall, even as workers inside the bank wore rubber gloves, ostensibly for protection from the dreaded disease.

Fortunately, more than 40 persons screened within few minutes were allowed to enter the banking hall because their temperature, according to the private security personnel employed by the bank, was not above 40 degrees Celsius.

Though few of those screened initially expressed fear over the exercise, they were, however, delighted to note that their temperature was within the normal range.

The temperature of the customers screened as at the time The PUNCH visited the bank ranged from 30 degrees Celsius to 36.5 degree Celsius.

However, the private security personnel in charge of the exercise said the exercise was targeted at preventing the further spread of the Ebola virus.

“We are using this tool (infrared thermometer) to check their (customers) temperature and if it is above 40 (degrees Celsius), the person is advised to go for medical checkup. But this does not mean they have Ebola. It may be malaria,” he said.

In another new generation bank within the state secretariat, a security personnel explained,

“Any person that wants to enter the banking hall must have his temperature checked before he is allowed to enter.

“If it is abnormal, the person will go for medical check-up and come back with a doctor’s report before he can enter. It is just to ensure that nobody transfers Ebola to another person in the banking hall.”