Since this pandemic began, many researchers have been trying to figure out how we can use new technology to limit the spread of the virus. Among the solutions that are now widely used by European countries are contact tracing applications like TousAntiCovid that can notify the user if they have been exposed to someone who tests positive.
Otherwise, a lot of work has also been done to determine how connected accessories such as watches can detect signs of COVID-19. For example, five months ago Fitbit (now owned by Google) shared the preliminary results of a study with hundreds of thousands of users.
See the first signs sooner so people can get tested
The goal ? Develop an algorithm that uses the company’s clock sensors to detect signs of COVID-19 as early as possible. And Fitbit has reportedly found that its products can detect nearly half of COVID cases the day before symptoms are reported.
“This is important because people can pass the virus on before they realize they have symptoms or when they don’t have symptoms. If we can tell people to have a test a day before symptoms start, they can isolate themselves and seek treatment sooner to reduce the spread of COVID-19. “explained a manager.
A new American study with the Apple Watch
And this week, a new study shows how useful smartwatches can be in fighting the spread of the virus. This was done by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine on Mount Sinai (USA).
Essentially, the researchers tracked health care professionals between April 29 and September 29. During this study, participants installed an application on their iPhones and wore the Apple Watch. These clocks were used to measure heart rate variability, which can help predict a positive COVID-19 test.
Conclusion: “The watch showed significant changes in HRV parameters up to seven days before people had a positive nasal swab confirming COVID-19 infection and showed significant changes if symptoms developed.”explains the study’s author, Robert P. Hirten, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology).
“Developing a way to identify people who may be sick before they even know they are infected would be a breakthrough in managing COVID-19.”he said too. “One of the challenges with COVID-19 is that many people are asymptomatic, which means they have no symptoms but are contagious nonetheless. This makes it difficult to contain this infection using the traditional method of identifying and quarantining a sick person. “”
Alternatively, in a previous article, we also addressed research by smart ring maker Oura and the Rockefeller Institute of Neuroscience on combating COVID-19. As with watches, the idea is to use the sensors on these rings to detect signs of the disease so that the user can be tested as soon as possible.
