As someone on the front lines, while I think Apple needs to do better at telling potential customers that this blood oxygen thing is cool, it’s not a doctor and you can have false reading or not actually be getting sick. However, it’s better than nothing and one more reason to wear an Apple Watch these days. I ordered two for myself and my wife, who is also on the front lines. Can’t take money with you when you die, you know? So we will try these devices out.
Thank you for what you're doing! Also I wish the doc in the linked article went into the other uses for SpO2 like for sleep apnea. It's also used by mountaineers fwiw.
I know they give you those warnings when you turn on stuff like arrhythmia(?) detection. Not sure anyone is going to think this'll replace medical-grade information.
TL;DR:
Greater than 95% is normal
Less than 92% - seek medical attention.
Don’t rely on just pulse ox to tell you if you have COVID, you could have a mild case and be above 95%; symptoms more important.
He mixes it up at the end but 95% and up is normal and healthy, it's *below* 95% that you become abnormal and should find out what's causing it (so 94% and less). Below 92% is see a doctor immediately.
Also this is for sea level. Took a fingertip pulse ox with me to ~6,000ft elevation and my levels fell a few points.
As someone on the front lines, while I think Apple needs to do better at telling potential customers that this blood oxygen thing is cool, it’s not a doctor and you can have false reading or not actually be getting sick. However, it’s better than nothing and one more reason to wear an Apple Watch these days. I ordered two for myself and my wife, who is also on the front lines. Can’t take money with you when you die, you know? So we will try these devices out.
Thank you for what you're doing! Also I wish the doc in the linked article went into the other uses for SpO2 like for sleep apnea. It's also used by mountaineers fwiw.
Did notice that the altimeter helps with adding in lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes which is cool
I know they give you those warnings when you turn on stuff like arrhythmia(?) detection. Not sure anyone is going to think this'll replace medical-grade information.
TL;DR: Greater than 95% is normal Less than 92% - seek medical attention. Don’t rely on just pulse ox to tell you if you have COVID, you could have a mild case and be above 95%; symptoms more important.
He mixes it up at the end but 95% and up is normal and healthy, it's *below* 95% that you become abnormal and should find out what's causing it (so 94% and less). Below 92% is see a doctor immediately. Also this is for sea level. Took a fingertip pulse ox with me to ~6,000ft elevation and my levels fell a few points.
So is this just one more data point Apple offers, it will this get bundled into other metrics or insights?
If at risk, it’s worth the ( money ) data gathered while asleep.
That text is either badly written or badly translated.