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As new, highly contagious strains of the novel coronavirus now spread in the United States, health experts are warning the public that it is now more important than ever to follow basic health guidelines such as washing hands, wearing a mask and social distancing. It also includes isolation if you know you have been exposed or think you may be infected. But given that more than half of COVID cases are transmitted by asymptomatic patients, it can be difficult to know. However, new research has shown that there is a reliable way to tell if you have COVID before you even have symptoms without even lifting a finger: wear a smartwatch. Read on to see how we can help you catch the coronavirus early, and to learn about other daily habits that can help you stay safe, check out CDC Warns Against Using These 6 Face Masks .
In a recent study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City analyzed data from Apple Watches worn by 297 health workers. The ability of wearable technology to monitor sustained changes in a person’s blood flow and heart rate over time may indicate warning signs of inflammation – a telltale indicator of COVID-19.
The roughly 300 study participants were asked to wear Apple Watches full time and install an app that specifically looked for changes in their heart rate. The researchers analyzed a metric called heart rate variability, which is the time variation between each heartbeat. It is also a way to measure how well a person’s immune system is working. “We already knew that markers of heart rate variability change as inflammation grows in the body, and COVID is an incredibly inflammatory event,” Rob shepherds, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine, told CBS News’ MoneyWatch. “It allows us to predict that people are infected before they even know it.”
The results showed that more than two-thirds of subjects who ultimately tested positive for the coronavirus were correctly alerted that they had been infected an average of seven days before symptoms were reported.
“Right now, we rely on people saying they’re sick and not feeling well, but wearing an Apple Watch doesn’t require any active user intervention and can identify the people who might be asymptomatic, ”Hirten said. “It is a way to better control infectious diseases.”
Additional reports from CBS News, which examined the study in question as well as one conducted by Stanford University in November, determined that the devices were relatively reliable at detecting the early onset of COVID infections.
Now, researchers are working with developers to create early warning systems for Fitbit, Garmin, Apple and other wearable products that can alert users when it’s time to consider taking a nasal swab or isolating. . “It’s a big problem because it warns people not to go out and meet people”, Michael Snyder, PhD, a professor who led the Stanford study, told CBS News.
But just because you don’t own a smartwatch doesn’t mean you can’t keep tabs on your health at some point. Read on to see other warning signs you’ve been infected with coronavirus, and for more symptoms to look for, check out If you notice this in your mouth, you could have COVID, experts warn.
Read the original article on Better life.
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