Accurate Fever Detection is Essential, But Non–Contact Thermometers Fail to Detect 90% of Fevers
WATERTOWN, Mass., Feb. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When it comes to understanding the transfer of coronavirus, important new studies have determined that there is a significant difference between COVID-19 positive people who have symptoms, including fever, and COVID positive people who do not. JAMA Network has published a meta-analysis of 54 studies1, encompassing 77,758 participants, that shows symptomatic people who test positive are 26 times more likely to transmit the virus than asymptomatic people who tested positive for the virus in a household setting. The data indicated that 18% of COVID patients who had symptoms spread the virus in the household, while only 0.7% of those without symptoms transmitted it.
With fever being the leading symptom of coronavirus, the need for accurate temperature screening at home becomes an even greater imperative. This can only be accomplished by using a thermometer like the Exergen TemporalScanner, whose accuracy has been proven in more than 80 peer-reviewed, published clinical studies. Studies2 show non-contact thermometers are inaccurate, missing as many as 9 out of 10 fevers. They could provide a false sense of security and negatively impact how families manage the spread of coronavirus in a household.
“Fever is the leading symptom of COVID-19, and these new studies reinforce the importance of accuracy in temperature taking. Accuracy matters, because knowing whether or not you have symptoms helps you manage the transfer of the virus in a household,” said Francesco Pompei, Ph.D., CEO of Exergen Corporation. “You can’t afford to take a chance with anything other than a thermometer whose accuracy has been proven in clinical studies.”
ABOUT EXERGEN CORPORATION
Exergen manufactures and markets two series of the TemporalScanner thermometer: a professional version for hospitals and clinics, and a consumer version sold in major retailers nationwide. More than two billion temperatures are taken each year with TemporalScanners. Used in thousands of hospitals and clinics across the country as well as in millions of homes, TemporalScanners are the #1 preference of pediatricians, #1 preference of nurses and #1 selling retail thermometer. The Exergen TemporalScanner's accuracy is supported by more than 80 peer-reviewed published studies covering all ages from preterm infants to geriatrics and all care areas from hospitals to homes. For additional information, visit www.exergen.com.
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1 Madewell et al. Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2. JAMA Network Open. 2020 Dec 14.
doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.31756
2 Khan et al. Usefulness of Forehead Infrared Thermometers to Scan Patients for Fever During COVID-19 Pandemic. Pak Armed Forces Medical Journal. 2020 Sept 14.
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