The former A-League referee helping in the fight against coronavirus

Former A-League referee Mark Shield is helping in the fight against coronavirus, using thermal cameras to tell immediately if someone has a temperature.

Australian referee Mark Shield at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Source: Getty Images

Shield was one of Australia's most decorated referees, officiating at two FIFA World Cups, an Asian Cup final, an Asian Champions League final, as well as numerous matches in the NSL and A-League. 

Now 47, Shield is the Managing Director of Bigmate - a technology and services company. 

Nations around the world are looking at ways to send people back to work and allow people to once again congregate in groups, without further spreading the coronavirus. 

One way that could help is screening people instantly for high temperatures, one of the key symptoms of coronavirus. 

Shield's company has developed a program that can read people's temperatures through live CCTV footage, and immediately identify if a person has an elevated temperature and generate an alert. 

Similar technology has been used in South Korea and can read up to 300 people's temperature per minute. 

The technology could be used in train stations, office buildings, schools and even football stadiums. 

Speaking to Channel Seven, Shield said his company's program could take up to nine temperature samples per second.

"It provides a pre-screening technology, able to identify abnormally high temperatures," Shield said. 

"Everything from mining companies, to industrial companies, to entry points to buildings."