SEATTLE — Any time you go to the doctor your blood pressure is taken and a small device called an oximeter is put on your finger. It measures the oxygen levels in your blood stream and, since the coronavirus outbreak, the little medical devices have been flying off the shelves faster than toilet paper.
The reason for the sudden interest in oximeters is because the disease causes oxygen levels to drop dramatically. To put it simply, the disease steals oxygen from your blood and therefore your lungs aren't getting air, leaving them open to infection.
The oxygen reduction happens so slowly that most patients don't even realize they are lacking oxygen until they are already in the danger zone. Now people are buying up oximeters to test their oxygen levels several times a day.
So, does it work?
Most medical professionals say they don't see the harm in having one on hand but caution people not to solely rely on them and warn there can be false testing results if your fingers are cold or you have nail polish or artificial nails.
The American Lung Association recently released a statement advising against buying pulse oximeters unnecessarily. Instead, people should stay in constant communication with their doctors, the Association said.
The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the flu or a cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, according to the Washington State Department of Health.
The severity of symptoms ranges significantly. Some cases are very mild with symptoms similar to the common cold, and some cases are more like severe pneumonia that require hospitalization. Most deaths have been reported in older adults who had other health conditions, according to DOH.
Symptoms may appear as soon as two days after being exposed to the coronavirus or as long as 14 days after being exposed.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, health officials urged calling your health care provider or clinic and following their recommendations before going to the emergency room.