Revolutionary temperature-check stickers that can help detect Covid early trialled in Hartlepool

Two care providers, including Rossmere Park care home, have been among the first in the country to test the Visual Temperature Indicator (VTi) disc.

Worn on a person's forehead it turns red if the wearer develops a fever, and is set to radically change how temperatures are taken.

Using thermoreactive technology the VTi changes colour in under five seconds after detecting a heat change, turning from a green cross for a normal body temperature of around 37° to red if it rises above 38°.

It has been trialled for the last three months in care settings in the north and is now set to be used in care homes to monitor elderly patients ahead of the first roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations before Christmas.

Rossmere Park manager Maxine Lee said: “Taking arbitrary temperature checks are vitally important, time consuming and takes away valuable resources from our primary duties which is to care for people.

"So, when a simple piece of technology that can visually indicate a high temperature came along, and when asked to trial it for effectiveness, we embraced it.

“The results have been fantastic, staff reported feeling safer knowing that neither they or their colleagues were displaying a high temperature, and if someone were taken poorly, the VTi indicated when they needed help.

“Our staff feel safer, visitors can be checked before entry and continuously during their visit, and most importantly use of the VTi helps protect our most vulnerable.”

As well as Rossmere Park, the temperature stickers have also been effective within Hartlepool’s Elan Care Whitethorn home health care service who support people with complex needs, disabilities and autism.

They used the discs on staff and clients who are sometimes unable to fully communicate their symptoms.

Head of care Marie Robson said: “The VTi has shown its worth in protecting our community. It makes the complicated task of large-scale temperature health monitoring simple and that is very helpful in care."

Colleague and senior team member Trina Robinson added: “It’s a brilliant early indication tool. A colleague pointed out my VTi was red and we confirmed my temperature was high with secondary healthcare checks.

“Within 10 minutes I left the site to follow guidelines and visited the doctor who diagnosed an ear infection, and thankfully nothing more serious.

"It means the VTi disc effectively buys ‘Golden Time’ which is vital to us.”

The makers say it could provide a breakthrough for carers and could help businesses return to the workplace in 2021.

The stickers can also be used to flag up flu and other conditions and help reduce the risk of spreading infections by carers not having to get as close to take the temperature in the usual way.

VTi director John Hill said: “It offers an extra layer of protection not seen before while still enabling social distancing – keeping people safe in the knowledge that any changes can be picked up immediately is of benefit to everyone.

“And with the urgency to return to some sort of normal in 2021, the VTi disc means everybody in the workplace becomes a temperature welfare officer, minimising staffing and equipment cost for temperature screening.”

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