VANCOUVER -- T&T has become the first Canadian grocery store chain to test customers for fever before they head inside to shop.

At the downtown Vancouver location where a security guard at the front door used an infrared thermometer to get a reading off customers' foreheads, most shoppers were supportive of the new measure.

"I think this is a good opportunity for us to get a sense of market sentiment in regards to temperature screenings," said Dean McDougall, the manager of occupational health services for Sure Hire, a company that’s been contracted to do temperature testing at B.C. construction sites.

As for retail, "It’s sector we haven’t seen yet with the exception of T&T, so I think the trend is gonna be we start to see it more and more as people start to almost have proof of concept of this," said McDougall.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we see this in practise more often as a lot jurisdictions are trying to open up businesses carefully keeping distancing, but looking at other measures that can maybe catch people that shouldn’t be out,” said Stephen Hoption Cann, a clinical professor in the UBC school of population and public health. But he doubts it will be useful in detecting cases. And so is B.C.’s provincial health officer.

"Two thirds to three quarters (of COVID-19 patients) are having a fever at some point," said Dr. Bonnie Henry. "But not having a fever doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily safe. You can have other symptoms that might be indicative of being sick."

But Hoption Cann thinks some sick people who were planning on going to a grocery store may stay away if they think they’ll be temperature tested, adding "If it keeps people with symptoms at home then that’s a good thing."

The temperature screening at T&T Supermarket is mandatory for staff, but optional for customers. They can refuse and still be allowed inside to shop.

As business look at ways to reopen their doors in the coming weeks, they may turn to temperature testing to give customers some comfort.

"So T&T being the first that’s great, but I do see this trending towards a sentiment of wanting to reopen more of the commercial brick and mortar retail side of things," said McDougall. "I’m looking forward to seeing the response not only from the organization, T&T, but also the customers. So once we get a little bit of the data coming in, it’ll really give us some interesting feedback on how this moves forward."