Fever scanners were removed from the local Hongqiao Airport yesterday in response to a recent document issued by the central government that allows the country's railway stations and airports to remove them, said officials with the Shanghai Airport Authority, which operates the two airports in Shanghai.

Scanners installed at Pudong International Airport will also be removed in a few days but those in the area of international flights will be kept.

Shanghai Railway Station is keeping the equipment as officials said they haven't seen the document.

Equipment used for checking travelers' temperatures was installed in all the country's airports and railway stations last year to help control the spread of SARS.

(eastday.com April 16, 2004)