The effects of COVID-19 have been felt around the world and across all industries. Students and teachers are reimagining the classroom, businesses are re-evaluating workspaces, and care facilities are quickly adapting to the needs of patients and residents. The way we operate public and private spaces has changed, which means it’s time to implement new security measures to meet the moment. Even after city-wide restrictions are lifted and we return to some of our old routines, we will never take a step backward when it comes to protecting one another. Modern access control systems adopted during COVID-19 will stick around long after the virus is gone.
There are no more standard schedules. Work shifts and school classes are staggered, coming into the office is optional, and many businesses have even opted to get rid of the mandatory nine-to-five office culture. COVID-19 has changed our security needs and expectations. Scenarios that never seemed plausible are now an everyday occurrence. Security technology needs to offer more than just surveillance; it needs to authorize individuals with touch-free technology, keep track of who enters and leaves buildings, provide remote access for security teams, and allow everyone to secure physical spaces and data while nobody is on site.
Some of the most important places in our daily lives risk becoming coronavirus hotspots if we do not take the proper steps to ensure everyone’s safety. Even if your facility isn’t at full capacity, now is the time to make these upgrades and prepare for the future. To get employees back to work, children back to school, hospitals operating smoothly, and so much more, security needs to be rethought and ramped up.
Touchless access control
While we were well on our way to a touchless world before coronavirus spread, there’s no doubt this pandemic has accelerated the need for hands-free everything. The less surfaces we all have to interact with throughout the day, the better. Touchless doors and locks will be integral to keeping buildings safe. Key cards and fobs are a step up from physical keys, but fumbling to find them, punching in your code, and other parts of that process are not as efficient or sanitary as they could be. Modern access control uses facial recognition, motion detectors, or a phone app to unlock doors. Not only do these methods keep us healthy, they also save time.
Remote system monitoring and management
Another key feature of modern access control systems is remote system monitoring and management. Security teams are now able to grant and revoke permission to certain people immediately upon receiving notice. Security threats and health threats can be stopped as soon as they’re detected without any physical interaction or time delay. If an employee reports feeling ill and is required to stay out of the office, if a new hire begins working and needs access to the building, or if someone needs to go into the office outside of regular hours, you can grant them access remotely. These systems can also alert you if doors are left open or if an unauthorized person has made their way into the building so you can take the proper steps to alert those inside the building, implement a lockdown procedure, or call help if needed.
Thermal imaging cameras and temperature scanning
Thermal imaging cameras will drastically help trace COVID-19 and monitor for symptoms. The facial recognition software in these cameras provide access to individuals as they enter the building while also scanning them for above average body temperatures. If an employee or student shows up with a fever, the thermal temperature screening software can notify the individual, deny them access to the building, and keep that data for analysis. Newer cameras can also scan to see if people are wearing a mask and request they put one on before entering a building. With mask requirements becoming more common indoors, this is a huge time saver for crowded buildings. Signal Technologies currently offers temperature screening technology. Let us help you understand how we can utilize this technology to best serve you during these times.
Signal Technologies: Keeping our communities safe
At Signal, we want to help keep your facilities safe. Network and thermal security cameras, along with access control systems have become a must-have in almost all facilities as the need for security solutions continues to grow. We can also help your team find specialized security options for your facility, such as nurse call systems and wandering protection for long-term care facilities and asset tracking, real-time locating systems (RTLS) technology and infant abduction prevention for hospitals. These services are always recommended for the safety of your facility, however, it’s especially important to consider these options now that COVID-19 has introduced a new set of health threats to our everyday lives.
Access control will always be advancing and evolving alongside the technological innovations of the current time. With more information and more technology, we’re able to help our communities stay on top of their security needs and feel confident in their systems during the pandemic. If your school, business, care facility or commercial building is in need of an upgrade, we’re here to help. Signal Technologies is fully operational and working under CDC guidelines to protect our staff and customers as we create safer communities. Contact us if you have any questions about modern access control or other security upgrades to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
You can reach our support team anytime day or night at 1-803-670-8805, or you can contact us here. We offer complimentary consultations to help you talk through your security services needs. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you during these difficult times.