Bangkok –
The Ministry of Public Health is planning to propose the cancellation of body temperature checks in public places to the Center for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), reasoning the low effectiveness and showing false results.
Dr. Rungruang Kitphati, a consultant at the Ministry of Public Health and chairman of the MIU (Ministry of Public Health – Intelligence Unit), said on Monday, June 13th, that the body temperature checks upon entering the country and public indoor places had been applied in the past due to the severity of the Covid-19 spread.
However, the current situation has greatly decreased as people are vaccinated and more than half of those who are infected only have mild symptoms or are asymptomatic.
Rungruang’s study revealed that thermometers installed in both airports and public places have low efficacy in screening for Covid-19 patients with a low sensitivity ranging from 0-39%, giving false positive and negative results. There is also no academic evidence supporting its benefits in preventing the spread of Covid-19.
The MIU committee, therefore, is considerating the revocation of mandatory body temperature checks in all places after the major clusters had passed.
“The MIU will be presenting policy recommendations and measures that the government may not need temperature checks in international airports and various business establishments. Other countries have also made similar recommendations. The United Kingdom recommended that body temperature is not necessary to screen for coronavirus cases, Singapore also canceled public temperature screening from August 2021, while the United States and Canada have no recommendation regarding the temperature checks for screening,” Dr. Rungruang said.
The proposal may be discussed officially this Friday, June 17th, at thee next major CCSA meeting.
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