{"id":116686,"date":"2020-09-19T02:02:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-19T09:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/?p=116686"},"modified":"2023-03-06T01:53:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T08:53:47","slug":"how-effective-are-temperature-checks-for-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/articles\/how-effective-are-temperature-checks-for-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"How Effective Are Temperature Checks For COVID-19?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At certain supermarkets, restaurants, or other public spaces, employees are implementing temperature checks with infrared thermometers to monitor fevers. If you recently returned to your place of work, you may have to take your temperature once you arrive. The purpose of the temperature check is to help monitor people who might be carriers of COVID-19, but many health experts warn that this is not the best method.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The practice of temperature checking is commonplace. Amazon, for example, started checking employee temperatures in the beginning of April, sending anyone with a temperature of 100.4\u00ba or higher home, as per the CDC\u2019s regulation. Unfortunately, thermometers don\u2019t detect the people who have COVID-19 without fever. When it comes to reducing your risk of contracting the virus<\/a>, health experts agree that thermometers are not as effective as face masks and social distancing. <\/strong>This is because of the silent spreaders (a.k.a. asymptomatic carriers)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Temperature Checks Keep You Safe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A temperature check is like taking your car in for service before a road trip. You’ll feel better, but it doesn\u2019t mean that it will be immune from breaking down during your trip. Temperature checks identify people who are seriously ill, but one study found that many seriously ill COVID-19 patients didn\u2019t exhibit fever<\/strong>. Growing evidence says that most community transmission occurs because of asymptomatic spreaders, though. People feel fine and don\u2019t experience symptoms, yet they still spread the virus. This is more dangerous in restaurants or places where you can remove your mask amongst groups of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the CDC, symptom-based screening has limited effectiveness<\/strong>. Clearly visible symptoms or symptoms described by patients help, but so many people do not experience symptoms. This caused the CDC to shift its strategy to prioritize other health measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Increased sanitation<\/a>, facial covering requirements, and social distancing have been in effect at most public places. These measures help to keep the public safe, but people also have to do their part to keep others safe, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n