Coronavirus FAQ: Folks At Trump-Biden Debate Were Scanned For Fever. Is That Helpful?

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A temperature check at a Trump rally held in Toledo, Ohio, on September 21.

Stephen Zenner/LightRocket via Getty Images

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Stephen Zenner/LightRocket via Getty Images

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In stores, Kortepeter says it’s a good idea to see what steps are being taken to minimize crowding. And at restaurants, Karan says you should consider points such as: Has indoor dining been moved outdoors, where the risk of transmission is lessened by air flow?

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Finally, it’s important to think about your own risk factors.

The elderly have a lower threshold for fever (while a 99 degree temperature may be within the normal range for the average individual, it may be cause for worry in an elderly person), Advani notes, so it’s important for them to be more judicious than younger people.

Meanwhile, you might also wonder: Should I buy a no-touch thermometer for home use?

It’s probably easier to use a digital thermometer or an infrared thermometer that goes in your ear, especially since thermometer guns may be hard for the untrained to properly administer. The one exception, Advani says, is for parents of young kids: Traditional thermometers can be challenging to use on a fidgety or sensitive kids. In these cases the no-touch device may prove useful.

Pranav Baskar is a freelance journalist.