This is utterly adorable! Four sniffer dogs have joined the COVID-19 force at Helsinki airport in a new, alternative and super rapid way of testing people for the virus.

As part of this state-funded pilot scheme, the four dogs, Miina, Kossi, E.T. and Valo, are able to detect the presence of COVID-19 within 10 seconds with the entire process taking under a minute to complete, says Anna Hielm-Bjorkman of the University of Helsinki who is supervising the pilot project.

“It’s very promising,” she told The Guardian. “If it works, it could prove a good screening method in other places” including care homes, hospitals, and even large cultural and sporting events.

So how does it work?

After passengers collect their luggage, they are asked to dab their necks with a wipe. In a separate booth, the wipe is placed in a jar next to others containing various scents. This is where the pup starts sniffing. If the dog detects the virus, he/she will indicate by yelping, pawing or lying down. The passenger is then advised to take a free nasal swab test to verify the pooch’s verdict. "The service is voluntary and primarily targeted for passengers arriving from abroad," the airport said on Facebook.

Helsinki's airport shared that there are currently 10 other dogs in training and dogs will be working in fours per shift. “Dogs need to rest from time to time. While two dogs are working, the other two are on a break."

Dogs have been used to sniff out other diseases such as cancer and diabetes, so if it works with COVID-19 they’ll be an utter game-changer! Do you imagine something like this being implemented in Malta?