1/ Q: Are temperature checks an adequate screening tool for COVID-19?
A: Unfortunately, no. Being fever-free at the time of a temperature check is not a guarantee that a person doesn’t have #COVID19, nor that someone with #COVID19 won’t spread the infection to others.
2/ Why is that?
The period of infectiousness for someone with #Covid_19 (i.e., the window of time when someone can infect others) starts ~2 days BEFORE symptom onset, so individuals can have COVID-19 & spread the infection to others before developing a fever (or other symptoms).
3/ Also important to note-not all individuals with #COVID19 will have a fever. Last, even if someone with COVID-19 no longer has a fever, if <10 days has passed since their symptoms started, they are still considered infectious.
4/ So does temp screening have any value?
Temperature checks will likely catch some of the people who have a fever at the time they are screened (& probably a few people that just happen to have an elevated temperature), but will miss those who have #COVID19 & don't have a fever.
4/ A better scenario is one in which those who are experiencing ANY symptoms of #COVID19 opt to (& importantly are enabled to!) stay home from work, school or other activities, in the first place, instead of trying to rely on temp checks on-site to identify those who are sick.
5/What measures should I focus on instead?
A key question to consider in any scenario is, “What measures are being taken that serve to lower the likelihood that people will spread SARS-CoV-2 to others whether they currently have symptoms OR NOT?”
6/ Places that require 😷, maximize the ability to be physically distanced, make indoor air more like the outdoors, reduce the # of ppl gathered & limit the duration of time ppl spend in close contact are implementing measures that serve to help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
7/ Temperature checks alone are unfortunately not adequate to identify all individuals who have COVID-19 nor prevent all those who are infected with SARS-CoV-2, from spreading it to others.
nyti.ms/3iSQsUS
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