The return to work after COVID-19 is necessitating a variety of approaches when it comes to evaluating the health and safety of returning workers. Some states or county health officials are imposing mandates for temperature 'checking' prior to admitting employees into the workplace, but this constitutes a form of 'health screening' under the ADA. While such tests are permissible, they carry with them issues related to privacy, data security, and in some cases (based upon state or county protocols).
Rather than rely upon traditional hand-held no-contact thermographic guns that measure temperature of a person's forehead, some employers, especially those with large work forces, or with large labor union participation who are concerned with possible irregular enforcement of temperature checks, are turning to something called telethermographic technology. These devices measure the skin temperature of individuals as they pass under a camera-like device. Even with such devices, there will be some degree of manual review because temperatures between individuals do vary and a person's body temperature can be elevated for reasons other than COVID-19, especially in summer temperatures.
In April (2020) the FDA issued formal Guidance on COVID-19 Thermography Devices intended for measurement of sel-emanating infrared radiation as screening of body temperatures during the duration of the public health emergency declared by the Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 31, 2020. The guidance notes that FDA is taking steps to help expand the availability of telethermographic systems and believes the policy set forth in this guidance may help address the urgent public health concerns raised by shortages of temperature measurement products such as thermometers and telethermographic systems.
Systems like this are also in use in a variety of other facilities where one-on-one screening isn't really practical, and despite skeptics at the start of the COVID crisis when this technology was first suggested, it seems to be proving far more beneficial than either ineffective or controversial. As the cost-benefits of this technology, coupled with the implementation curve permits more and more employers to make use of this option in facilities like manufacturing concerns, food processing plants, warehouse and distribution centers, and other similar facilities, we will likely see that it is far better received by not only employers but workers and labor as well as public health professionals.