Apple Watch can detect Covid-19 long before symptoms appear

At present, doctors mainly use the swab test to test an individual for Covid-19. But soon, there might be another way that could be used for the early detection of coronavirus: one that involves a smartwatch.

Now, two separate studies undertaken by Mount Sinai Health System in New York and Stanford University in California have shown promising results while using Apple Watch in early detection of Covid-19 in patients.

The first study undertaken by Mount Sinai Health System found that the Apple Watch was able to detect subtle changes in an individual’s heart rate up to seven days before the Covid-19 symptoms appeared or before the individual was tested positive for the infection. The study analysed the variation in heartbeat for nearly 300 health care workers who used Apple Watch between April 29 and September 29.

“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 input and can identify people who might be asymptomatic. It’s a way to better control infectious diseases,” Rob Hirten, assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City told CBS MoneyWatch (via 9To5Mac).

The second study that was conducted by researchers at Stanford used smartwatches by Apple, Fitbit and Garmin. This study found out that these fitness devices could indicate changes in resting heart rate up to 9.5 days before the symptoms appeared in patients.

The team also created an alarm system that warns the wearer if their heart rate has been elevated for a prolonged period of time. “Regular fluctuations won’t trigger the alarm — only significant, sustained changes will...It’s a big deal because it’s alerting people not to go out and meet people,” Professor Michael Snyder Stanford University, who led the study, told the publication