Smartwatches and other wearable devices that continuously measure users’ heart rates can help spot coronavirus infections.
A couple of new studies highlighted by CBS News indicate that smartwatches like the Apple Watch can help detect COVID-19 before symptoms appear or a positive test occurs.
The studies, undertaken separately by New York’s Mount Sinai Health System and Stanford University in California, are giving experts hope that the Apple Watch will help “play a vital role in stemming the pandemic and other communicable diseases.”
Research conducted by Mount Sinai found that the Apple Watch can detect “subtle changes in an individual’s heartbeat” up to seven days before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test. The study analyzed heart rate variability, or the change over time between heartbeats, and included nearly 300 healthcare workers who wore Apple Watches between April 29 and September 29.
Meanwhile, a separate Stanford study, the results of which were released in November, found that these devices could indicate changes in resting heart rate “up to nine and a half days before symptoms appear” in coronavirus positive patients.
The researchers were able to identify nearly two-thirds of COVID-19 cases four to seven days before symptoms, the study says.
Additionally, a university professor noted that this type of technology can help compensate for flaws in testing strategies. “The problem is, you can’t test people all the time, as these devices monitor their health 24/7,” he explained.
Apple did not fund or participate in any of these studies, unlike other smartwatch and wearable companies that have commissioned similar studies, such as Oura Health and Whoop.
Finally, last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study showing how the Apple Watch and other smartwatches can help curb the spread of COVID-19 by asymptomatic wearers.
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