New studies show how Apple Watch can help detect COVID-19 prior to symptoms and testing - 9to5Mac

A pair of new studies highlighted by a CBS News report indicate that smartwatches such as the Apple Watch can help detect COVID-19 before the onset of symptoms or a positive test.

The studies, separately undertaken by Mount Sinai Health System in New York and Stanford University in California, are giving experts hope that the Apple Watch can help “play a vital role in stemming the pandemic and other communicable diseases.”.

The research performed by Mount Sinai found that the Apple Watch is able to detect “subtle changes in an individual’s heartbeat” up to seven days before the onset of COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test.

The study analyzed heart rate variability, or the variation in time between heartbeats, and included nearly 300 health care workers who wore Apple Watches between April 29 and September 29.

“Our goal was to use tools to identify infections at time of infection or before people knew they were sick,” said Rob Hirten, assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and author of the Warrior Watch study.

“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.

The study found that these devices could indicate changes in resting heart rate “up to nine and a half days prior to the onset of symptoms” in coronavirus-positive patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a model last week indicating how the Apple Watch and other smartwatches can help curb the spread of COVID-19 by asymptomistc carriers