Wary Kolkata keeps thermal guns at arm’s length

KOLKATA: If a thermal gun held to your forehead makes you feel uneasy, there’s good news for you. The disconcerting practice is being phased out at several places across the city and replaced with a check of the wrist temperature instead. The practice is being perceived safer, though experts believe there is no risk at pointing an infra-red gun at the forehead.
Over the last two weeks, several offices, malls and residential complexes have switched over to thermal temperature checking from the wrist.It is safer to use thermal guns to check the temperature of the wrist than the forehead since it ensures distance between individuals but the efficacy of the instrument is in doubt, said experts. There are several factors that can lead to a wrong reading, they felt.
A thermal gun or an infra-red thermometer takes the skin temperature that could vary by as much as five degrees, depending on conditions, pointed out
Fortis Hospital pulmonologist Raja Dhar said, “Unlike oral or armpit temperature, reading taken from the skin is not precise. It can vary with sweat or exposure to the sun. So, while taking the wrist temperature is safer, thermal guns are never a fool-proof measure of screening.”
Others pointed out that use of thermal guns have allowed many to pass through screening. “It’s easy to lower your body temperature by taking paracetamol and pass through screenings at offices or airports. This has happened very frequently over the last five months,” said a general physician. He added that he has often come across queries on the effectiveness of paracetamol from patients eager to travel.
Meanwhile, retailers of gun thermometer have been getting enquiry from customers regarding usage technique of the thermometer. “It is not only on the forehead, you can use the gun thermometer on the temples from the side too. It shows similar result. It seems that people are wary about the side effects of the ray,” said Paresh Daftary of Aatman Exports--which deals with surgical and medical instruments.