A: A pulse oximeter is a small device that shines a red light on your fingertip to track your heartbeat and the amount of red blood cells carrying oxygen.
This tool then reports your pulse and oxygen saturation. Both are helpful numbers in understanding how the body is responding to increased physiologic work, like when you have a virus.
Pulse oximetry is helpful in detecting low oxygen levels and fast heart rates among individuals infected with Covid-19. This is being used in addition to monitoring of symptoms like shortness of breath to identify individuals in need of hospital level care.
It must be noted that pulse oximetry is a bad tool to detect Covid-19. It should not be used as a population screening tool. Pulse oximetry is intended as a tool to monitor severity in someone with Covid infection. Please do not use this as a screening tool.
Here are a few tips on the use of pulse oximetry and an article from The Guardian.
– If you do not have a pulse oximeter and feel short of breath, call a health professional immediately.
– Most healthy people have a “pulse ox” of 95% to 100%, but sometimes lower with chronic disease. Numbers under 92% are concerning and should be reported to a health professional.
– Pulse oximeters are not perfect. If you symptoms become severe with no change in readings, do not delay care.
