China’s showing delivery person’s body temperature on the app: Is this the future?

Is this what our world is going to be like post the Covid-19 pandemic?

People wait for the train at the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan as travel restrictions for leaving the city, the epicentre of a global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, are lifted and people will be allowed to leave the city via road, rail and air, in Wuhan, Hubei, China April 8, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song (REUTERS)

After 11 weeks of lockdown, China has started opening Wuhan, the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak. Local authorities are allowing anyone with a 'green' code on a widely-used smartphone health app to leave.

However, concerns are still rampant. And in order to ensure safety, China is reacting to the situation faster than ever before.

One of the developments towards precautions, China is showing the body temperature of the delivery person on the mobile app. A screenshot shared by Derek Anderson on Twitter shows a rider with the body temperature displayed prominently.

However, it seems that China has been doing this for at least two months now. A Twitter user with the handle ZhugeEx replied to Anderson that this has been on for at least two months now and that temperature checks are done regularly.  

Friend in China just shared screenshot from a local delivery service. The delivery person's body temperature is now displayed in the mobile app on delivery details screen. 😮😮😮 #COVID #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ChEmrKPeoK

— Derek Andersen (@DerekjAndersen) April 8, 2020

These temperature checks are not just limited to the driver but also to the people preparing the food. The tweet also notes that information is displayed on the receipt as well.

While many people called out this move on something that is possible in a 'totalitarian' country like China, this actually makes sense and is possible something the world needs right now. We all know that the world is going to be irrevocably changed post the Covid-19 pandemic and the paranoia is not going to go away. Given that, a temperature check is literally the least that can be done to ensure there is no community transmission.

In India, if you check your Zomato app right now, you will see certain restaurants mentioning that they do regular temperature checks besides ensuring hand washing etc. This goes a long way in assuring customers that a certain degree of cleanliness and hygiene is in place and the virus is not being spread by anyone. If these delivery apps were to add a rider temperature reading, would it be that unnatural at this point in time?

We think not. It might just be welcomed and might just go on to become the new normal.