SAN DIEGO — Scripps Research needs your help with a study on COVID-19 symptoms in real-time using digital health trackers like FitBit.
Users of those fitness devices can download an app called MyDataHelps, which will allow researchers to track and map symptoms when you get sick.
The app monitors heart rate and other activity through your digital health device. Then, users enter sickness symptoms into the app, which will help researchers track the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Participants can also report whether they were diagnosed with flu or COVID-19 through the app. So, we will be able to track disease-specific illness through this study,” said Scripps Research epidemiologist Jennifer Radin.
The Scripps Research study is similar to one being done by the company that makes Kinsa thermometers.
In that study, a national map already is up and running showing COVID-19 trends based on fever data collected by the digital thermometers.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
The CDC also says facemasks should only be used by people who show symptoms of the virus. If you’re not sick, you do not have to wear a facemask.