Experts claimed that Apple Watch could detect COVID-19 symptoms days before a patient tests positive of the novel coronavirus. If this is true, the wearable gadget could be a great help during the ongoing pandemic, especially since there are new COVID-19 strains that are spreading in the United Kingdom and other countries.
According to Trusted Reviews' latest report, Mount Sinai University's researchers discovered that the HRB feature of Apple's smartwatch shows significant changes in a patient one week before they are tested positive.
HRV (heart rate variability) reveals that there is a difference in time between heartbeats, rather than the heart rate itself. This means that if a person the HRV measurements will be lower if the person is suffering from an illness or hangover.
"The watch showed significant changes in HRV metrics up to seven days before individuals had a positive nasal swab confirming COVID-19 infection," said the scientists via Trusted Reviews.
What makes Apple Watch's HRV helpful
The researchers behind the latest "Warrior Watch" study said that the wearable device could really be helpful during the ongoing pandemic if the required data can be acquired as soon as possible.
They explained that users could isolate themselves earlier and reduce the risk of transmission if they identify the outlying HRV indicators earlier. This could prevent further transmission among their colleagues, family members, and the general public.
Rob Hirten, the assistant professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine, explained that their team already knew that Apple Watch's HRV feature's markers could change if inflammation develops within the patient's body.
He added that the feature allows them to know if the people are infected with COVID-19, even before they are tested positive. Apple Watch could help medical experts in their battle against the ongoing pandemic since most of them are relying only on the patients' statements, saying that they are sick and not feeling well.
Apple Watch's another useful feature
According to TechRadar's previous report, another useful feature of the Apple Watch is its Blood Oxygen app. The application allows the user to know if there is enough oxygen in their blood cells.
Because of its ability, it can help those who are suffering from low blood oxygen levels. The one that is causing your blood oxygen levels to decrease is different conditions such as pneumonia, respiratory viruses, asthma, and even COVID-19. This information clearly shows that Apple Watch can really be handy in many situations.
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Written by: Giuliano de Leon.
