This study presents the development and evaluation of Health-Aware Smart Gates (HASG), designed to enhance public health security during the COVID-19 pandemic. When compared with traditional smart gate systems, HASGs offer improved security through rigorous health protocol enforcement, enhanced user experience by reducing wait times, and increased reliability. The innovation lies in its stateful authentication mechanism-a contrast to the conventional stateless systems-which reduces wait times for frequent users by 31.7%, significantly enhancing efficiency and security. This server-inspired approach allows HASGs to quickly adapt to various health emergencies and incorporate potential hardware upgrades, further reducing response times and elevating the technology's contribution to smart gate applications. Prototype testing confirms the system's high accuracy and reliability, underlining its value in smart gate technology.INDEX TERMS Biometrics (access control), COVID-19, Health and Safety, Internet of Things, Smart Healthcare.