After being in lockdown for what feels like most of 2020, businesses and schools are looking for tools to help them implement a back-to-the-new-normal strategy. Safely reopening doors amid an ongoing pandemic has been challenging, to say the least.
One promising tool – thermal imaging systems – has been proven to accurately measure surface skin temperature without being physically close to the evaluated person. There are a lot of mistruths and misunderstandings about thermal imaging systems and what they can and can’t do. Our extensive checklist goes into detail regarding implementing a thermal imaging system with success. Here, we take a quick look at the cans and can’ts.
CAN: Create awareness a person might have a fever/elevated body temperature.
CAN’T: Determine if someone has an illness. Best practice dictates that a diagnostic test must be performed to determine if someone has an illness, such as COVID-19, SARS, or influenza.
CAN: Provide insight that can be used to further check on individuals (or groups, when the system can’t isolate a particular person).
CAN’T: Accurately take the temperature of multiple people simultaneously.
CAN: Be effective when there is careful setup and operation, training of operators, and proper preparation of the evaluated person.
CAN’T: Be successful without proper setup, operation, and training.
CAN: Prove effective as an initial screening tool, part of a more holistic, multipoint decision process to determine access into a facility.
CAN’T: Serve as a standalone tool.
When implementing a thermal screening system at your facility, you need to focus on multiple areas, including setting and managing expectations; designing the testing site; installing, testing, and calibrating the equipment; and training and support.
For more details regarding implementing a successful thermal imaging system at your facility, download our “Thermal Imaging System Checklist for Designing and Implementing an Effective Elevated Body Temperature Project.”