Health watchdog probes concerns over thermometers

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In the past 10 months, the Therapeutic Goods Administration received 44 complaints about the thermometers which often greet people at the entrance of shops, businesses, schools and childcare centres.

Australia's health watchdog is investigating a series of complaints about the accuracy of infrared thermometers as the coronavirus screening devices become an increasingly common sight at airports, schools and shops.

University of Melbourne principal research fellow professor Fiona Russell said the devices did not reliably detect fever because they measured skin temperature.“Skin temperature can be affected by ambient temperature. If it’s a very cold day your skin temperature will be cold,” she explained.She said infrared thermometers could provide false reassurance or lead to panic.

While the devices have traditionally been used by parents wanting a non-intrusive way to check a baby’s temperature, they have become increasingly popular as a screening tool during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are usually positioned towards a person’s forehead, from a distance. “A fever is not the most prevalent symptom for COVID,” she said. “Coughing is a more common symptom. And then people are infectious prior to them becoming symptomatic so they're not reporting high temperatures. [Temperature screenings] don’t do a great job of predicting COVID at a population-level.”“They are a lot less precise compared to say a doctor taking your temperature in a clinic setting with a thermometer that goes into your ears.

 

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How. Any complaints were there against the ABC? Many more than thermometers I’m sure.....

Yeah! REALLY? WOW! AND ALL THE SH1T ONES ARE MADE IN CHINA! ALL THE SH1T FACE MASKS ARE MADE IN CHINA! Seems like CHINA WANTS THIS VIRUS TO SPREAD or am I missing something like CHINA'S B1TCH SCOMO!

How disappointing.. finding out that devices can be made by new word monkeys and others made by rolls royce

Derp. It’s a skin temperature.

Did any of the complaints relate to rectal thermometers being used?

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