"In the last one month, two groups of researchers have reported separate findings on sniffer dogs detecting coronavirus infection in humans with remarkable accuracy. The role of detection dogs has been the subject of a number of studies and experiments during the pandemic — and even before, with dogs trained to detect various other diseases, as well as drugs and explosives.
So, are dogs the future in coronavirus testing? The evidence so far indicates they can be useful in identifying potentially infected people in crowds — but those identified would still need to undergo conventional tests such as RT-PCR."
I can certainly understand that they couldn't trust dogs completely but it seems like it could be a great screening device. Certtainly better than the few questions you are asked now and your temperature taken.
Nothing surprises me about what dogs can be trained to do and they love working. I picked up this story along the way
In New York’s Lower Hudson Valley up through Northern New Jersey, Fagen, a seven-year-old Belgian Malinois, and Dia, a three-year-old Labrador retriever, are sniffing their way through a meadow, the authorities in tow. With their noses to the earth, they’re hunting down a dangerous troublemaker: Scotch broom, an innocent-looking yellow-flowered invasive plant that destroys grasslands, poisons animals and fuels forest fires.
“Imagine a plant only an inch tall amongst other plants in places as vast as Harriman State Park or Bear Mountain,” says Joshua Beese, referring to two of the region’s sprawling protected natural areas. “It’s easy to miss, but not to the dogs. They can find invasive seeds hidden under bushes — places you wouldn’t think of going. You’d have to crawl on your hands and knees. And the dogs cover a lot of territory.”
Beese is the Conservation Dogs Program trainer and handler for the New York New Jersey Trail Conference, a volunteer organization that builds, maintains and protects public trails. He also handles Fagen and Dia, both of whom live with Beese and spend two-to-three hours on the trails with him during mild weather days.
At the seedling stage, invasive plants like Scotch broom are notoriously difficult for humans to spot. But dogs can locate hard-to-find flora and fauna more effectively and efficiently than virtually any human, method or machine in existence. Their handlers then share that information with park managers, trail professionals and the many volunteers who work to rid the area of the intruders.
