Apple Watch can also detect the new coronavirus: It can be detected 7 days before symptoms appear

At present, most of the nucleic acid tests for the new coronavirus are done by throat swabs. Using a smartwatch to detect the new coronavirus probably sounds amazing.

According to foreign media reports, two studies from abroad showed that smart wearable devices such as Apple Watch can detect new coronavirus infections seven days before the onset of symptoms, and the success rate is quite high .

As we all know, Apple Watch is a smartwatch, and health tracking is one of its main functions. In recent years, news about Apple Watch saving lives is not uncommon.

Of course, in the current COVID-19 pandemic, it would be even better if these smartwatches with health tracking features could detect COVID-19. So scientists conducted two separate studies and found that these smart wearable devices can detect COVID-19 infections a week before people show symptoms.

One of the studies came from Mount Sinai Medical Center, where researchers recruited 300 Mount Sinai medical staff from April 29 to September 29, 2020, and all subjects wore Apple Watch.

The heart rate variability was analyzed using the Apple Watch heart rate detection function. Heart rate variability can measure the working status of the human immune system. This change can detect whether a person is infected with the new coronavirus 7 days before symptoms appear.

The researchers said that due to the development of inflammation in the human body, people infected with the new coronavirus often have lower heart rate variability. Our goal is to use these tools to identify the virus during or before the patient is infected.

Another study is from Stanford University. The 5,000 subjects in the study wore a variety of smart wearable devices such as Apple Watch, Garmin and Fitbit. It was found that 81% of people infected with the new coronavirus experienced changes in resting heart rate 9.5 days before the onset of symptoms.

Researchers say a rapid increase in heart rate indicates the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, and that people infected with the coronavirus often experience an increased heart rate, a long-term symptom that is absent during the initial illness or even after the virus is cleared.

Using data from the smartwatch, the researchers were able to identify two-thirds of cases four to seven days before symptoms appeared . They also created an early warning system that sounds an alarm when the wearer's heart rate is elevated for a prolonged period of time.

Of course, the ability of wearable devices to detect the new coronavirus before symptoms appear is not a substitute for nucleic acid testing. More research is needed to prove the accuracy of the data and establish protocols for the role of Apple Watch and other wearable devices in new coronavirus testing.

Current research has proven that these devices can be used to warn of potential dangers, not only enabling them to undergo virus testing and isolation measures earlier, but also preventing them from developing into critically ill patients.