To detect individuals infected with the coronavirus, the scientists selected six dogs. British scientists decided to find out if dogs could “sniff out” human infection with the coronavirus. Dogs have already been trained to detect malaria infection, Parkinson’s disease and some types of cancer in humans because patients with these diseases have a distinctive smell. There is a chance that it will be possible to identify Covid-19 in a similar way.
If the scientific trials are successful, a team of six dogs will begin detecting people with the coronavirus within 4-6 weeks. They are expected to be used in places where people enter the UK, such as airports, and will be able to screen up to 750 people per hour. The study is being conducted by specialists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Durham University. Not every dog will be suitable for this role, so an organization that specializes in training these pets for medical purposes will provide them.
Specialists collect odor samples from people with various diseases, in this case those infected with the coronavirus. These samples are then placed on metal stands, alternating with the scents of people not infected with Covid-19. When a dog detects the scent of an infected person, it receives a tasty reward.
Dogs will be used at airports. Each time it receives a reward, it begins to associate certain smells with treats and will be diligent about identifying them in the future. Dogs are also able to detect when a person has a significantly elevated temperature, so there is a possibility of using them to identify people with fever. Doctor Claire Guest, who is involved in the training, said: “Our aim is to train dogs to identify all infected people, even if they have no symptoms, and to alert us to the need for a person to be tested for coronavirus. This process will be fast, effective and non-invasive. It will help free up resources in the health care system for Covid-19 testing.