PEOPLE’S PHARMACY DO TOUCHLESS THERMOMETERS WORK?

Q: Whenever I go to the doctor’s office, a nurse weighs me, takes my temperature and measures my blood pressure. These days, I really do not like them sticking a thermometer under my tongue, even in its little plastic sleeve.

How reliable are the touchless devices I have seen on television news reports? Are they available to consumers?

A: The devices you are referring to are called noncontact infrared thermometers ( NCITS). They detect infrared radiation coming off the human body and turn it into a digital signal.

A systematic review and meta- analysis of infrared thermal scanners was recently published in the Journal of Travel Medicine ( Oct. 10, 2020). The authors reviewed 30 studies from 15 countries and concluded that handheld infrared thermometers were reasonably accurate and can safely be used for screening. They are not as good for babies and may not be as precise as oral thermometers. There are many brands of infrared thermometers available online or in pharmacies for around $ 30.

Don’t rely on temperature alone, though, to detect COVID- 19. People can spread the coronavirus before they have a fever or other symptoms.

Q: I am a healthy “young senior” ( 66). When I get my flu shot this year, do I need to get the super double dose for seniors?

A: A study that was recently presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions ( Nov. 17, 2020) compared high- dose with standard- dose flu vaccine. The participants were at especially high risk for influenza complications because they had heart disease. The randomized controlled study involving 5,260 volunteers lasted three years.

The authors reported that the “higher dose influenza vaccine was not more effective than the standard dose in lowering the risk of death or hospitalizations from heart or lung- related illnesses.”