Non-contact thermometers rose to prominence early in the pandemic. They are now synonymous with trying to contain outbreaks. As the world started to grapple with the coronavirus, digital scanning thermometers, like much other equipment, saw unprecedented demand. Soon these thermometers got their name among the top weapons against the pandemic. Others on the list, obviously, include masks, hand sanitizers, and soaps.
Personal protective equipment manufacturers around the world scaled up their production to meet the soaring demands. The fear and uncertainty prompted panic shopping across the globe. But non-contact thermometer has maintained a unique — and somewhat stable — position since the beginning of the pandemic. Non-contact thermometers use infrared technology to read temperatures. Users can scan someone’s forehead from a distance and get an accurate temperature reading.
Ensuring personal safety & public health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) recommends people who may have been exposed to take their temperature twice daily. Non-contact thermometers not just ensure personal safety but also helps to slow the spread. As PPE suppliers in the USA try to keep up the demands for masks and sanitizers thermometer manufacturers, too, are ramping up production.
Non-contact thermometers are used in high-traffic areas and public spaces, like airports and offices. They are used in scenarios in which you don’t want to use the same thermometer in multiple people’s mouths. More importantly, non-contact thermometers enable you to take temperature readings while maintaining physical distancing.
How non-contact thermometers work
Non-contact thermometers are often described as a “thermometer gun.” They are equipped with an infrared sensor that quickly measures the surface temperature of the object being scanned.
Infrared thermometers measure surface temperature without making any contact with the person’s skin. And that what makes it so popular as a tool in the times of physical distancing. Over the past years, contactless thermometers have become an important tool for countries fighting to contain viral outbreaks.
These thermometers determine temperature by measuring the heat coming out from the surface of a person’s body. They were used widely to slow the spread of SARS in China in the early 2000s. Later, the thermometers were also used to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
Types of non-contact thermometers
Digital scanning thermometers are not new for PPE suppliers in the medical industry. It’s just that they came out of obscurity during this pandemic. Here are the major categories of the non-contact thermometers.
Forehead non-contact infrared thermometers
In the post-COVID world, when we talk about contactless thermometers the image of a forehead-scanning device strikes our mind. It is now the most popular category of contactless thermometers. They use infrared technology to measure temperature scanning a person’s forehead. This type of infrared thermometers is easy to use and delivers fast results. They have also become immensely popular since they enable users to follow COVID-19 safety practices.
In-ear non-contact infrared thermometers
In-ear thermometers use the same technology as the forehead-scanning models. But these devices measure the temperature from the tympanic membrane in the ear. The thermometer is inserted into a person’s ear canal. These models are equipped with disposable lens filters to ensure hygiene. It prevents cross-contamination and makes sure that the ear wax doesn’t pact the temperature reading.
Multifunction infrared thermometers
These infrared thermometers have functionalities of both the forehead-scanning model and the in-ear device. The applications of these thermometers are not limited to body temperature measuring. They are also used to measure the temperature of food, liquid, rooms, and other types of surfaces. This category of infrared thermometers is becoming popular with parents as they want to check the temperature of food and milk before feeding their kids.
Wrapping up
The rising demand for non-contact thermometers and infrared cameras that can detect fevers has prompted shortages around the world. Personal protective equipment manufacturers from China to California are ramping up production to deal with the shortage. Companies around the world are now gearing up to start large-scale production of infrared thermometers. The devices are becoming increasingly expensive due to the consistency in demand from both government and private customers.
At Co-Defend, we ensure that our clients don’t have to face the shortage of any kind of medical supply or personal protective equipment. Being one of the leading PPE suppliers in the USA, we meet all your requirements to contain the deadly virus outbreak. Be it masks, hand sanitizers, or infrared thermometers, you can rely on us for a seamless supply.
FAQs
Q. What is a non-contact thermometer?
Non-contact thermometers use infrared technology to read temperatures. Users can scan someone’s forehead from a distance and get an accurate temperature reading. They measure surface temperature without making any contact with the person’s skin. These thermometers are also called infrared thermometers and thermometer guns.
Q. How do non-contact thermometers work?
Non-contact thermometers are equipped with an infrared sensor that quickly measures the surface temperature. The thermometers determine temperature by measuring the heat coming out from the surface of a person’s body.
Q. How does standing six feet away from others slow the spread?
The coronavirus spreads mainly through droplets from the mouth and nose, especially when one coughs or sneezes. The C.D.C. bases its recommendation of six feet on the concept that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall on the ground within six feet. Thus, it prevents the transmission from one person to another.