While many others still need to go to work in sectors including food preparation, shipping, and manufacturing, notably medical equipment, millions of others are staying at home to wait out the pandemic. Manufacturing thermal cameras for military intelligence gathering and targeting, FLIR claims to have observed a "exponential" rise in sales to businesses looking to check workers for COVID-19's primary symptom of fever, which is fever.
They are ordering thermal cameras from thermal camera manufacturers like never before, according to FLIR CEO James Cannon. "Whether it's a medical organization that wants to have this screening before you enter a clinic or a hospital, whether it's other industries that are critical to manage the distribution of goods and such, they have to maintain a large workforce, etc. etc."
Examples: Emirates Airlines is currently screening all travelers to the US. Despite the epidemic forcing the Wynn Resorts casino chain to close, a sizable order for the cameras has been placed because of the thermal camera application. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, a grocery store chain in Atlanta is scanning consumers and will "discretely warn" them and suggest an alternative way to shop if the person has a temperature over 100.4.
In addition to its sales to the military, which include cameras built into tiny drones used to catch bugs, FLIR also provides the Department of Homeland Security with thermal imaging equipment for border patrol.