According to the American Lung Association, a pulse oximeter is an
electronic device that measures the saturation of oxygen carried in your
red blood cells. It can be used by doctors for patients with symptoms
of shortness of breath or a known lung or heart condition.
Bravo TV host Andy Cohen, who tested positive for the coronavirus, said the small device helped in his recovery.
According
to a report by Yahoo!, Cohen said using a pulse oximeter to monitor his
oxygen at home helped keep him from needing to head to the hospital.
“You
could scare yourself and think, ‘Oh my God, my lungs don’t feel right,’
but you could use this pulse oximeter and see, ‘OK, well actually,
you’re fine, you’re within the range,’” he said.
“So that’s my pro-tip,” Cohen said, according to the Yahoo! article. “Make sure you have Tylenol and a
pulse oximeter.”
According
to a report by HealthLeaders, officials at Providence Regional Medical
Center Everett in Washington State, which admitted the first U.S.
COVID-19 patient, are sending patients who are likely positive for
COVID-19 but not admitted to the hospital home with a thermometer and
pulse oximeter to monitor their symptoms.