With Coronavirus there have been a spike in sales of Infrared and Non Contact thermometers. The idea is that regular thermometers will have contact with the patient and thereby spread the virus. During the Coronavirus epidemic you don’t want to have to worry about cleaning a thermometer with school. With these people you can at least measure from a safer distance and see if your family is having any sort of fever.
The biggest sign of Coronavirus is that fever spike so thermometers are now basically a means of survival through the pandemic.