Wearable devices can detect the onset of COVID-19 up to a week before an individual is diagnosed with the infection, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
For the study, Mount Sinai Hospital researchers monitored hundreds of healthcare workers at the New York City-based health system between April and September 2020.
The participants wore Apple Watches and answered daily questions through a customized app, and changes in their heart rate variability were used to identify and predict whether workers were infected with COVID-19 or had symptoms. Other daily symptoms collected included fever or chills, tiredness or weakness, body aches, dry cough, sneezing, runny nose, diarrhea and sore throat.
The study found that subtle changes in a participant's HRV measured by the Apple Watch were able to signal the onset of COVID-19 up to seven days before the individual was diagnosed with the infection via nasal swab. The researchers also found that 7-14 days after diagnosis with COVID-19, the HRV pattern began to normalize and was no longer statistically different from the patterns of individuals who were not infected.