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During the coronavirus pandemic, we created certain practices. It became a routine before entering establishments like malls, markets, and shops in general to measure body temperature. The local security guard points the thermometer at our forehead or else at our wrist to measure the temperature. If the temperature is normal, access is allowed. Over the months, the measurement location shifted from the forehead to the wrist. But the change in behavior happened precisely because of fake news that circulated on social media, which claimed that measuring on the forehead could harm the human body by interfering with the pineal gland, located in the central part of the brain and responsible for producing hormones in the body. The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has already debunked this information and explained that infrared thermometers do not emit any type of radiation. What they do is detect the heat emitted by the body in the form of infrared radiation. However, many people continued to prefer having the thermometer pointed at the wrist instead of the forehead. Read more about Computer Vision. Click here!
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But which is the most accurate location: forehead or wrist?
According to Anvisa, the best location to measure temperature depends on the manufacturer's specifications for each device. In a note published this year, the entity states that it is most correct for infrared thermometers to be aimed at the forehead to ensure greater accuracy. Using the device to measure on other parts of the body can result in an incorrect reading of body temperature, unless the product manual recommends taking the measurement in a specific location.
The absence of a fever does not mean that the person cannot be infected
There is an even greater discussion than the one regarding where the temperature measurement should be taken. The medical community, along with Anvisa, does not advocate that fever should be used as a parameter to identify possible cases of Covid-19. The reason for this justification is that many patients are asymptomatic or present mild symptoms, which do not include fever. In other words, this means that the person can indeed transmit the disease without showing any type of symptom, as stated by Sylvia Hinricsen, professor of Tropical Medicine at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE): Quote: — The person can be transmitting without showing any type of symptom, we know this happens. Therefore, temperature measurement is not a good parameter to control individuals with covid-19. The mechanisms to avoid transmission are physical distancing, the use of masks, and constant hygiene of hands and locations. Each state has its protocol and people need to follow it, this is an action that carries co-responsibility.
Rumors about temperature measurement gained strength on social media
One of the main factors that made people suspicious of forehead measurement is the potential health damage. The main topic is damage to the pineal gland, which could be caused by the device's infrared ray when pointed at a person. However, the information is not true, thus being a fake news (false news). The scientific community conducted studies proving that using infrared thermometers does not pose risks. This is because no patient presented problems in the gland due to temperature measurement by the infrared rays of any product, since the thermometer measures the skin's surface temperature and not the internal body temperature of the individual.
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Fabio Caraça
Fábio Caraça is the Chief Growth Officer at Pix Force. He leads Pix Force's transformation into a scalable SaaS operation, combining strategic vision, culture, and high-impact execution.
