WHAT ARE PULSE OXIMETERS? HOW GOVT. IS USING IT TO REDUCE COVID19 CASES? REPORT

Pulse oximeter is a painless test that measures the oxygen levels in one’s body. The device can even detect small changes in the way lungs move oxygen to the rest of the body. Since it could be used to detect COVID19 at an early stage, the Greater Chennai corporation has now equipped door to door staff with 1000 devices to monitor the oxygen level of residents. 

“There are cases where patients may be asymptomatic but have dangerously low oxygen levels (hypoxia). To detect this, we have asked our survey staff to use pulse oximeters,” a senior Corporation official told The New Indian Express.

“In some cases, they may gasp for air but in others there may not be any gasping, so it’s important to catch it early,” the official added.

“If you just go and ask them questions, some might get irritated although it’s for their own benefit that the survey is done every day. But when the staff go armed with pulse oximeters and infrared thermometers, residents will more willingly participate in the survey,” the official said.

The city corporation has also deployed almost 10,000 infrared thermometers to check the temperature of residents. The corporation plans to increase the number of instruments in use as well.

At present almost 4000 volunteers have been assigned to take care of the needs of people who’ve tested positive in order to make sure that they stay indoors and are under home isolation. Volunteers have been assigned to create WhatsApp group with patients or immediate family members so that if need arises, the patient can communicate through this group. 

Should we buy Pulse Oximeter to test at Home?

“Given the increase in infection rate, it was important not to ignore any mild illness. A pulse oximeter comes in very handy to monitor oxygen saturation level and can pick up hypoxia very early,” public health expert K Kolandaisamy told the Times of India.

The digital pulse oximeter is priced at Rs 1500 and upwards. If some of the residents cannot afford it, the government is advising them to buy ‘Corona home monitoring kits.’

While some experts think buying a pulse oximeter at home might not be necessary, few think it is important to have one at home for early detection of COVID19.