Health officials are warning that infrared thermometers are not always effective after a California restaurant announced on social media that customers dining at its three locations would have to submit to infrared temperature screenings to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

The director of California's Department of Health warned that “those infrared thermometers are not 100%" when contacted by the Los Angeles Times about a post made by Sichuan Impression, a Chinese-themed restaurant with three locations across the state.

That Instagram post, published six weeks ago, showed a customer being screened with an infrared thermometer at a Sichuan Impression restaurant and announced that all dine-in customers would undergo similar tests amid the outbreak of coronavirus around the world.

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"We will use infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of each guest who comes to dine," the restaurant posted. "If any abnormal symptom, such as fever, is identified, we will immediately assist to contact the nearest medical service."

"If you refuse to cooperate with the temperature measurement, we have to regretfully deny the service to you for the time being," the restaurant added.