COVID-19 temperature checks might do more harm than good
Temperature checks provide a false sense of security. (Pexels/)Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including tips on cleaning groceries, ways to tell if your symptoms are just allergies, and a tutorial on making your own mask.Temperature checks are becoming a normal part of life in many places across the country, from your local gym to Disneyland, where, if your temperature is above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, you won’t get in. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even recommended that all businesses might check employee temperatures daily. But scientists say that this practice isn’t rooted in science—and might actually help COVID-19 keep spreading. “There’s never been any data to show that it’s prevented any transmissions [of COVID-19],” says Eric Topol, executive vice president of Scripps Research. “The temperature check is of no value. It should be abandoned.”The idea of using temperature checks to filter out sick people dates back...