1. Is checking body temperature an effective measure to protect us against COVID-19?

Yes. One of the symptoms of COVID-19 infection is developing a fever. Routine monitoring of body temperature can aid early detection and segregation of persons with fever and respiratory symptoms with others, which is an effective measure to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

 

2. How to tell if I have a fever or not?

 The body temperature of a healthy person averages 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (or 37 degrees Celsius), but please note that some people tend to run a little higher or a little lower. You have a fever if your body temperature exceeds 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees Celsius).

 

3. I have other kinds of thermometers at home, do I really need a digital thermometer?

There are different kinds of thermometers for measuring body temperature and here are the major four:

 

i. Glass Thermometer (not recommended, it is dangerous)

Glass mercury thermometers are no longer recommended and can be dangerous. There are serious health risks if a glass mercury thermometer breaks. Mercury is toxic to humans and wildlife and can contaminate the surrounding air.

 

ii. Plastic Strip and Pacifier Thermometer (not recommended, it is not accurate)

These thermometers can detect the presence of a fever in a patient, however, they do not give an exact temperature reading. They simply act as an indication that something might be wrong. Pacifier thermometers are used predominantly in babies older than three months. They require the baby to be still for a couple of minutes and this can be a struggle. This means that sometimes the temperature can be inaccurate.

 

iii. Electronic ear thermometers (not recommended, it is inconvenient and less accurate)

Electronic ear thermometers are less accurate as if there is too much wax in the ear it can give an incorrect reading. Also, it has to be placed inside the ear canal for measurement. For example, parents often have to pull their babies ears and tilt their little heads to access the ear canal; a process most babies find downright uncomfortable and the reliability of the reading may be affected if they squirm around.

 

iv. Digital thermometers (recommended)

Digital thermometers are regarded as the fastest and most accurate type of thermometer. Why?

 

v. Easy to Use

You simply swipe the thermometer across the forehead even if the person is fussy or fast asleep. The forehead thermometer is non-intrusive and super easy to use.

 

vi. Fast

The forehead thermometer enables you to get an accurate reading in no time. Most forehead thermometers will produce a beeping sound when they are done taking the temperature. Time is always of the essence especially with a sick child and digital thermometer ensures you do not waste any.

 

4. If I opt for a digital thermometer, what factors I should take into consideration before buying one?

 

​i. Accuracy and Reliability

How fast can you take your temperature reading? How accurate are the results? When shopping for an infrared thermometer, you opt for a device that is not only accurate but also fast. The ideal model should come with quality sensors, an intelligent built-in chip and high accuracy.

​Also, always look for FDA Certified and CE Approved devices for safety and reliability.

 

ii. Reading Speed

A thermometer’s reading speed is the amount of time it takes to deliver an accurate reading after the thermometer’s reading process has been initiated. Faster thermometers are better in almost every regard. There are thermometers on the market that have the ability to display the result within 1 second after detection.

 

iii. Memory Capacity

Proper recording software tells you the average temperature of an object over a set period of time, and it can tell you if there are any meaningful fluctuations in its temperature or, if you would like to monitor the trend of changes for health monitoring.

 

iv. Energy Efficiency

You need to buy an instrument that is energy efficient. Make sure you buy an infrared thermometer that uses a little amount of energy when reading and detecting. It is wise to invest in a thermometer that shuts off automatically after a short period of non-operation. This feature helps to save energy and increase the lifespan of the batteries.

 

v. Operating Sound

You don’t want to disturb sleeping babies for measurement body temperature. It would be ideal if the thermometer comes in with a built-in silent mode that allows you to take temperature without generating any noise or alarm.

 

vi. Display

Having a lit screen isn’t a necessity, but a built-in backlight helps you read the measurements regardless the lighting conditions of the environment that you may be in.

 

vii. Measuring Mode

There are IR thermometers providing measurements for both body and object temperatures, which is ideal for users who wants the device to tell not only body temperature, but also temperature of the surroundings, food or drinks.