The management of Shaw Centre has defended its decision to deploy its staff in a lift to check visitors' temperatures.
Shin Min Daily News (SMDN) reported on June 19 that Shaw Centre had put a temperature scanner in one of its cargo lifts and deployed a 60-year-old man to supervise it.
The Chinese daily reported that a photo of the temperature scanning set-up was first circulated on Facebook and generated a heated discussion among netizens.
The 60-year-old, the mall's sole lift attendant, was responsible for checking visitors' temperatures and assisting them with pressing lift buttons.
Courtesy of Shin Min Daily News.
According to a photo taken by SMDN, the set-up in the cargo lift comprises a chair for the staff to sit on, a box propping up a SafeEntry scanner, and a temperature scanner plugged into the cargo lift's electrical socket.
Notices in the lift indicated that all delivery personnel who utilise the cargo lift have to scan their body temperatures and check in using SafeEntry during Phase 2 Heightened Alert.
According to SMDN, the cargo lift operates from 10am to 6pm, with a two-hour cleaning period from 12pm to 2pm.
In response to queries from SMDN, Shaw Centre said that this arrangement was put in place after a Safe Distancing Ambassador told the mall that visitors can enter the mall via the cargo lift and bypass the SafeEntry and temperature scanning checkpoints.
A spokesperson for the mall also told SMDN that the cargo lift is well-ventilated. It is also cleaned and disinfected every two hours.
Mall employees comply with safe management measures as well, like taking their body temperatures twice a day and wearing masks while working.
Mothership has reached out to Shaw Centre for more information.
Top photo courtesy of SMDN.