The US Food and Drug Administration released a warning on Thursday about the thermal imaging systems used to measure body temperature during the pandemic.
Scanners, also known as thermal cameras and “fever cameras”, are commonly used in the halls of workplaces, schools and business locations as a quick, non-contact way to check body temperature.
However, officials said, scanners can provide inaccurate readings, and the FDA has issued several warning letters to some companies that sell “unapproved, unauthorized and unauthorized” thermal imaging systems, including Certify Global Inc., Kogniz Inc ., Opgal Optronic Industries Ltd. and Thermavis.
The scanner, which resembles a smartphone, reads the temperature of a person’s skin surface in seconds as he approaches it. If a person’s temperature is 100.4 degrees or more, they are considered symptomatic.
When the device is designed and used correctly, it may be accurate, the FDA said. But even some authorized systems have produced inaccurate readings, which can be harmful if someone with a fever is not alerted.
“These risks are more likely to be present where thermal imaging systems scan multiple individuals simultaneously,” said the FDA.
The FDA will work to provide users with information about scanners and encourage people to continue wearing face masks, distancing themselves socially and maintaining hand hygiene. Stay home if you feel sick and consider taking your temperature with a thermometer before you leave the house.